ISSUE #14 | SUFFERING WITH FULLER

STORY Rick Reynolds, pictured above, sees himself and the image of God in those experiencing poverty and homelessness in Seattle p. 18 THEOLOGY This issue explores the theological realities of "suffering with" through a collection of articles curated by Cynthia Eriksson p. 34 VOICE The Fuller community reflects on the topics of race and inclusion, vocation, and embodied learning in a digital worldp. 74 + From the Very Beginning the Word Was with God, by Dao Zi. Wash-ink painting, 83"x20" x 3, 2017. Dao Zi, artist, poet, and critic, says of his work, “Ink painting is the art of ‘transforming blood into ink’: the most unselfish love manifested, the most unworthy person reborn, with world outlook renewed, ink painting is no longer ink but new life.” Dao Zi was one of eleven Chinese Christian artists, from both mainland China and the USA, hosted by Fuller’s China Initiative on April 25-27, 2019. A symposium was held in which the artists shared their spiritual journeys in words and visual art. Their works were exhibited on campus through June 15. See more of Dao Zi's work on pp. 11 and 98–99. STORY | THEOLOGY | VOICE FULLER ISSUE #14 | SUFFERING WITH

SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP Mark Labberton President Mari L. Clements Provost Brent Assink Chief of Philanthropy Tod Bolsinger VP and Chief of Leadership Formation Theresa Edy-Kiene VP, Strategic Planning and Change Management Lauralee Farrer Chief Storyteller and VP of Communications Marcus Sun VP of Global Recruitment, Admissions, Marketing, and Retention Bill Clark Senior Advisor CREATIVE PRODUCTION + To Suffer Together that We May Be Lauralee Farrer Editor in Chief Tamara Johnston Senior Producer Transformed Together Joy Netanya Thompson Communications Senior Editor Becky Still Senior Editorial Manager I don’t want to do a deep dive on of FULLER magazine, of those Jerome Blanco Communications Writer and Social Media Strategist suffering, Associate Professor of who have given their lives to walk Michael Wright Editor Psychology and PsyD Program Chair with the suffering and found their Nate Harrison Senior Photographer and Video Storyteller Cynthia Eriksson told the FULLER lives enriched for it. Every cup of Katy Cook Lead Designer studio editorial advisory board last suffering is full, I have heard it Denise Louise Klitsie Principal Illustrator year. She preferred to focus on what it said, acknowledging that pain is Aaron Dorsey Communications Inclusion Liaison means to “suffer with,” she clarified, not only universal but a basis for Robert Bethke Director of International Communications Kathryn Sangsland Project Manager rather than delving into what it means such Christlike empathy. In an Randall Cole Design and Production Consultant to suffer alone. era when suffering is, for some, a Sergio Zapata, Inés Velásquez-McBryde, and Hanjun Kwon So began an investigation—for her strangely motivated competition, Translation Services and her colleagues who have graced “suffering with” breaks the trends of Elijah Davidson Web and Digital Media Manager us with their writings in this issue’s individualism and inches us toward Susan Carlson Wood Proofreader communal life and the transformation Tony Hale Photography Consultant theology section—on what it means to accompany those who suffer. Dr. Eriksson writes about. COVER Familiar territory to Dr. Eriksson, who Mutual transformation is the goal Rick Reynolds, photographed by Nate Harrison specializes in, among other things, here at Fuller—part of our ethos as THEOLOGY SECTION ADVISORY BOARD posttraumatic stress disorder. “In well as an element that defines our Keon-Sang An PhD, Associate Professor of Bible and Mission the deep work of trauma recovery,” aspirations, especially in the era of Tod Bolsinger VP and Chief of Leadership Formation she once wrote, “understanding disruption that we are facing.+ Our D. Scott Cormode PhD, Hugh De Pree Professor of Leadership the human response to tragedy and choosing to “suffer with” connects Development grief is especially important. This us deeply with the incarnation, Kurt Fredrickson PhD, Associate Dean for the DMin and Continuing Education knowledge orients us to a position of reverberating the love of a God who Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen DrTheol, Professor of Systematic grace as we work to create places of chose to become human—God with Theology safety, rituals of grief and connection, us—so that we Mark Labberton PhD, President and opportunities to connect for would not be Kara E. Powell PhD, Executive Director of Fuller Youth Institute and Associate Professor of Youth and Family Ministry trauma survivors. Walking with others alone in the Brad D. Strawn PhD, Evelyn and Frank Freed Professor of the through trauma, attending to our own sometimes dark Integration of Psychology and Theology pain, and engaging in God’s healing journey toward Marcus Sun VP of Global Recruitment, Admissions, Marketing, work can certainly grow us in mutual hope. and Retention transformation.” Marianne Meye Thompson PhD, Dean of School of Theology LAURALEE FARRER and George Eldon Ladd Professor of New Testament There are several stories in is chief storyteller Jude Tiersma Watson PhD, Associate Professor of Urban Misson this issue, too, as with every issue and vice president of Miyoung Yoon Hammer PhD, Associate Professor of Marriage communications. and Family Therapy

+ Inés Velásquez-McBryde, + In this issue we introduce a new department on the “Future of Fuller” (page 92) where pastor, speaker, and MDiv we will share updates on changes surrounding Fuller’s move and in our educational student, contributes to Issue #14 2019 business model. Visit Fuller.edu/Future for in-depth coverage starting with the historic “Voices on Race and + FULLER magazine (ISSN 2377-5432) is published for the global community of Inclusion” on p. 79 Fuller Theological Seminary. The editorial content of FULLER magazine reflects the announcement of our move to the city of Pomona. We’ve also created an online space opinions of the various authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily repre- to document and explain our ongoing efforts toward greater diversity, inclusion, and senting the views of Fuller Theological Seminary. We are a free publication of Fuller equity––find that at Fuller.edu/Inclusion. Theological Seminary. If you would like to make a contribution or if you have inquiries, please email [email protected]. © 2019 by Fuller Theological Seminary. Produced in limited quantities. FULLER MAGAZINE | FULLER.EDU/STUDIO ISSUE #14 | SUFFERING WITH

74 22 28 STORY VOICE

A Hug and a Coke 12 Voices on Race and Flight attendant Kristalyn Simler finds that small acts of 74 Inclusion 74 hospitality can have a significant impact Voices on Vocation 80

Ain’t I Beautiful? 18 Voices on Embodied Learning Rick Reynolds shares how in choosing to look at—and not in an Online World 86 past—the poor, he’s seen himself and the image of God 12 DEPARTMENTS A Place to Go for Something to Do 22 At the Wooten Center in South Los Angeles, Naomi From Mark Labberton, McSwain uses education to help young people thrive 98 President 8

One Second Chance at a Time 28 Future of Fuller 92 At Dale House, Jim Oraker helps at-risk teens find a Recent Faculty Books second chance 94 66 and Publications THEOLOGY Benediction 96 74 About Fuller 97 Introduction 36 Cynthia Eriksson, Guest Editor

Suffering With: A Tender Journey of

Mutuality in Suffering, Comfort, and 75 Joy 38 Cynthia Eriksson

Responding to Suicide with the Ministry 12 18 of God's Presence 42 Mary Glenn

80 01 고독한 고난의 우월감에서 더불어 고난의 겸손함으로 From Proud Suffering Alone to Humble Suffering With 46 63 조은아 Eun Ah Cho

The Holy, Exquisite Mutuality of Sharing Suffering and Joy with Others 54 Jude Tiersma Watson with Chris Albisurez

The Curses of God's People: Dynamics of a Genuine Covenantal Interaction 60 Daniel D. Lee 34 96 12 Composing a Lament for the Persecuted: Suffering with the Suffering Church 64 Edwin M. Willmington

Suffering from Within: Suffering With Those for Whom Suffering Is a Way of Life 68 Sarah Ashley Hill

6 7 FULLER MAGAZINE | FULLER.EDU/STUDIO ISSUE #14 | SUFFERING WITH

Suffering With Sufriendo con

함께 고난 받기

From Mark Labberton, President

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Some of the most profound dimensions of When the Apostle Paul reflects with un- We are not only those who “weep with those comfort. This is the soil from which Chris- Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and being human revolve around our experiences guarded candor on his own suffering in who weep,” of course. We also “rejoice with tian compassion is explained and fortified. God of all comfort, who comforts us in all of suffering. We all suffer. No one lives without the opening of his second letter to the Co- those who rejoice.” But it is definitely meant our affliction, so that we may be able to suffering. Our experiences may vary greatly: rinthian church, he is doing far more than to be both. While all suffer, suffering does People ask me if I miss being a pastor. I un- comfort those who are in any affliction with the degree or intensity of the difficulties, our just describing his afflictions. He is theolo- not automatically breed a readiness to suffer derstand the question, but it assumes differ- the comfort with which we ourselves are internal or external capacities for sensitivity gizing with and pastoring the Corinthians, with others. This is where Paul lifts up the ence more than similarity between being a comforted by God. For as we share abun- and endurance, the resilience and empathy who face their own suffering. All of his suffering of Jesus as the precursor that has president and being a pastor. I believe what dantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through of our family and community will all make afflictions, and theirs, are caught up in the touched the lives of all those in Corinth. We mattered most to me personally about being Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. enormous differences. At the very least, suffering-with love of God who has suffered are to be motivated and enabled to suffer a pastor is what still matters most to me about however, we know that nearly everyone to comfort us, and who, in turn, calls us to with others not just because we also suffer, being a president: the privilege of standing 2 Corinthians 1:3–5 does better in suffering if we have someone comfort others in their pain. but primarily because we who are in Christ with others in their stories of joy, of suffering, “suffering with” us—if we have compassion. know One who suffered with us and gave us and of everything in between. These are the

Bendito sea el Dios y Padre de nuestro Señor Algunas de las dimensiones más profundas con" nosotros—si tenemos compasión. a consolar a otros en su dolor. pacitados para sufrir con los demás no solo Jesucristo, Padre de misericordias y Dios de del ser humano giran alrededor de nuestras porque nosotros y nosotras sufrimos, pero toda consolación, el cual nos consuela en todas experiencias de sufrimiento. Todos y todas Cuando el Apóstol Pablo reflexiona con Por supuesto que no somos solamente primordialmente porque nosotros quienes nuestras tribulaciones, para que podamos sufrimos. Nadie vive sin sufrimiento. candor abierto sobre su propio sufrimiento aquellos quienes "lloran con los que lloran". estamos en Cristo conocemos a Aquel quien también nosotros consolar a los que están en Nuestras experiencias varían grandemente: en la apertura de su segunda carta a la iglesia También nos "regocijamos con quienes se sufrió con nosotros y nos dió consolación. cualquier tribulación, por medio de la con- el grado o intensidad de las dificultades, de Corinto, está más que describiendo sus regocijan." Pero definitamente deben ser Esta es la tierra desde donde explicamos y solación con que nosotros somos consolados nuestras capacidades internas o externas de aflicciones. Él está teologizando y pastore- ambas cosas. Aunque todos sufren, el su- fortalecemos la compasión cristiana. por Dios. Así como abundan en nosotros las sensibilidad y perseverancia, la resistencia ando a los corintios, quienes enfrentan su frimiento no nos dispone automáticamente aflicciones de Cristo, así abunda también y empatía de nuestra familia y comunidad propio sufrimiento. Todas sus aflicciones, las a sufrir con otros. Es aquí en donde Pablo Las personas me preguntan extraño ser por el mismo Cristo nuestra consolación. harán la gran diferencia. Al menos, sabemos de ellas y ellos, se ven enredadas dentro del eleva el sufrimiento de Jesús como precursor pastor. Yo entiendo la pregunta, pero esta que casi toda persona supera mejor el su- sufriendo-con amor de Dios quien ha sufrido de quien ha tocado la vida de todos y todas presume la diferencia más que similitud 2 Corintios 1:3–5 frimiento si tenemos a alguien "sufriendo para consolarnos, y quien, además, nos llama en Corinto. Debemos estar motivados y ca- entre ser presidente y ser pastor. Yo creo

찬송하리로다! 그는 우리 주 예수 그리스도의 있습니다. 인간은 모두 고난을 겪습니다. 고난 없이 사는 환난을 열거하는 것 이상의 큰 의미를 지닙니다. 바울은 현재 모습이어야 한다는 것입니다. 모든 사람이 고난을 사람들은 제게 목사였을 때가 그립지 않냐고 묻습니다. 하나님이시요, 자비의 아버지시요, 모든 위로의 사람은 없습니다. 물론 사람마다 경험의 내용은 다릅니다. 고난을 직면하고 있는 고린도 교인들을 목양하며, 함께 그 경험하지만, 그렇다고 다른 이들과 함께 고난 받으려는 무슨 질문인지 잘 알지만, 질문의 이면에는 총장직과 하나님이시며, 우리의 모든 환난 중에서 우리를 곤경의 정도나 강도, 곤경을 느끼거나 견뎌내는 내적 및 외적 고난을 신학적으로 해석하고 있는 것입니다. 바울의 환난과 마음이 자동적으로 길러지는 것은 아닙니다. 그래서 바울은 목사직 사이에 유사점보다는 차이점이 클 것이라는 위로하사 우리로 하여금 하나님께 받는 위로로써 모든 능력, 곤경으로부터의 회복력, 가족이나 공동체의 공감 등에 고린도 교인들의 환난은 모두 하나님의 ‘함께 고난 받는 고린도의 모든 성도들이 삶에서 이미 경험한 예수님의 전제가 깔려있습니다. 제가 생각하기에 목사로서 제게 환난 중에 있는 자들을 능히 위로하게 하시는 이시로다. 따라 실제 고난의 경험은 크게 달라집니다. 그런데 적어도 사랑’ 안으로 녹아듭니다. 하나님은 우리를 위로하시려고 고난을 높이 들어 표상으로 제시합니다. 다른 이들과 함께 가장 중요했던 것이 총장으로서의 저에게도 여전히 가장 그리스도의 고난이 우리에게 넘친 것 같이 우리가 받는 우리가 분명히 아는 사실은, 누군가 연민을 품고 ‘함께 고난 고난을 받으셨고, 이제 고통 가운데 있는 다른 이들을 고난 받을 마음과 능력이 우리에게 생기는 것은 단지 모든 중요한데, 그것은 바로 다른 이들의 기쁨과 고난과 그 사이의 위로도 그리스도로 말미암아 넘치는도다. 받는’ 이가 곁에 있을 때 거의 모든 사람이 고난을 더 잘 위로하라고 우리를 부르고 계십니다. 사람이 고난을 겪기 때문이 아니라, 바로 그리스도 안에서 모든 경험을 곁에서 함께할 수 있는 특권입니다. 사람들 곁에 이겨낸다는 것입니다. 우리는 우리와 함께 고난 받으셨고 우리를 위로하신 그 분을 서 있을 때 저는 하나님의 임재를 보고 경험하는 경우가 가장 고린도후서 1:3–5 물론 우리는 ‘우는 자들과 함께 울기’만 하는 사람들이 알기 때문입니다. 바로 이 토양 위에서 ‘기독교인의 연민’을 많으며, 더불어 왜 복음과 신학 교육이 그토록 중요한지 고린도 교회에 보낸 두 번째 편지의 첫머리에서 사도 바울이 아닙니다. 우리는 또한 ‘즐거워하는 자들과 함께 즐거워’ 정의하고 함양해야 합니다. 가장 실제적으로 깨닫게 됩니다. 때로는 총장이기 때문에, 인간 존재의 가장 심오한 특징들의 중심에는 고난의 경험이 자신의 고난에 대해 숨김 없이 털어놓는 것은 단순히 그의 하기도 합니다. 분명한 사실은 두 가지 모두 우리의 때로는 총장임에도 불구하고, 저는 다른 이들의 고난에

8 9 FULLER MAGAZINE | FULLER.EDU/STUDIO

places where I most often see and experience Jesus holds with tender, healing love. And when such love is not our reputation, or the presence of God, and where I find the even worse, when it is the opposite, it is no most grounded reminders of why the gospel, It seems hard to look around at our world wonder that our gospel is repudiated. and why theological education, can matter so and not see suffering in every direction. much. Sometimes because of being a pres- When the plague devastated 14th-century All who follow Jesus must ask: Have we ident, and sometimes despite being one, I Europe, it was often the Christians who been loved by God in our suffering? If so, have the privilege of suffering with others. most distinctively stayed in the cities to care then suffering with our suffering world is The suffering love of Jesus towards my suf- for the dying—an instinct borne of knowing our vocation. God’s people can and must fering has stretched and opened my heart in the God of all mercy and compassion. embrace and embody it, or we apparently compassion, certainly not because of my role Whenever this has been the church’s rep- have no good news. or title, but because of my raw neediness that utation, the gospel has been authenticated.

que lo que más me importó personalmente ha abierto y ampliado mi corazón en compa- iglesia ha sido ésta, se da validez al evange- siendo pastor es lo que todavía me importa sión, y no por mi rol ni mi título, sino por mi lio. Y cuando este amor no es nuestra reputa- siendo presidente: el privilegio de estar al franca necesidad de que Jesús me sostiene ción, o peor, cuando es lo opuesto, con mucha lado de otros y otras en sus historias de gozo, con su amor tierno y sanador. razón nuestro evangelio es repudiado. de sufrimiento, y en todo el entremedio. Esos son los lugares donde veo y experimento con Es difícil no mirar alrededor del mundo y no Todos y todas quienes siguen a Jesús deben más frecuencia la presencia de Dios, y donde ver el sufrimiento por todos lados. Cuando la preguntarse: ¿Hemos sido amados por Dios encuentro los recordatorios más fundamen- plaga arrasó con la Europa del siglo catorce, en nuestro sufrimiento? Si es así, entonces tados de por qué el evangelio, y por qué la con frecuencia eran las personas Cristianas nuestra vocación es sufrir con el mundo educación teológica, importan tanto. Aveces quienes permanecían en las ciudades para sufriente. El pueblo de Dios puede y debe por ser presidente, y aveces a pesar de serlo, cuidar de los moribundos- un instinto nacido abrazar y encarnarlo, y si no lo hacemos, es tengo el privilegio de sufrir con los demás. El del conocimiento del Dios de toda misericor- porque aparentemente no tenemos buenas amor sufrido de Jesús hacia mi sufrimiento dia y compasión. Cuando la reputación de la nuevas.

함께할 특권을 갖습니다. 그럴 때마다 예수님의 함께 고난 아는 데서 비롯된 본능적인 반응입니다. 역사 가운데 교회가 이런 평판을 얻는 곳이라면 어디에서든 복음이 진리임이 받으시는 사랑이 고난 가운데 있는 저를 품어주시며 제 이런 평판을 얻는 곳이라면 어디에서든 복음이 진리임이 입증되었습니다. 반대로 우리가 그런 사랑을 보여주지 마음을 열어주셨고 연민의 마음이 커지게 하셨습니다. 분명 입증되었습니다. 반대로 우리가 그런 사랑을 보여주지 못하거나, 심한 경우 정 반대의 평판을 얻을 때, 당연하게도 이것은 저의 직책이나 역할 때문이 아니라, 적나라한 저의 못하거나, 심한 경우 정 반대의 평판을 얻을 때, 당연하게도 사람들은 우리가 전하는 복음을 거부합니다. 궁핍함을 예수님께서 따뜻한 치유의 사랑으로 감싸주시기 사람들은 우리가 전하는 복음을 거부합니다. + Doxology II: Holy 때문일 것입니다. 예수님을 따르는 사람이라면 누구나 질문해야 합니다. Candle, by Dao Zi. 세상을 둘러보면 어디든 고난이 없는 곳이 없습니다. 14세기 우리가 고난 가운데 있을 때 하나님은 우리를 사랑하셨는가? Wash-ink painting, 세상을 둘러보면 어디든 고난이 없는 곳이 없습니다. 14세기 유럽을 전염병이 휩쓸었을 때, 남달리 도시 안에 남아서 만약 그러하다면, 우리의 소명은 고난 받는 이 세상과 함께 55"x28", 2018. See 유럽을 전염병이 휩쓸었을 때, 남달리 도시 안에 남아서 죽어가는 병자를 돌보았던 사람들 중에 그리스도인이 유독 고난 받는 것입니다. 하나님의 백성이라면 그 소명을 품어야 more of Dao Zi’s 죽어가는 병자를 돌보았던 사람들 중에 그리스도인이 유독 많았다고 합니다. 이는 자비와 긍휼이 풍성하신 하나님을 하고 그것을 실체화시킬 수 있어야 합니다. 그렇지 않다면 work on pp. 2–3 and 많았다고 합니다. 이는 자비와 긍휼이 풍성하신 하나님을 아는 데서 비롯된 본능적인 반응입니다. 역사 가운데 교회가 우리에게 복된 소식이란 없습니다. 98–99.

10 STORY

A Hug

AND a Coke Flight attendant Kristalyn Simler finds that small acts of hospitality can have a significant impact

Written by JOY NETANYA THOMPSON Photographed by NATE HARRISON

12 13 s k ris ta ly n j o Simler (MAGL ’11) approached I love people and people watching.” She has a track assisted living facility. people from different cultures. “The reason I got a A her 40th birthday, she started to feel that her record of making unconventional and sometimes Never knowing what will come up, Kristalyn employs degree in global leadership,” she explains, “is because time at Young Life International, where she’d worked adventurous life choices, from living in Costa Rica for her adaptable temperament in these conversations, I’ve always had a heart for the whole world.” for 13 years, was done. While she wholeheartedly several years with her husband and having her first ready to bend and flex and offer her own steady smile. As she describes her job, it’s clear that Kristalyn supported Young Life’s mission to “reach the furthest child there, to deciding to adopt a second child. While “People have commented on how peaceful I am,” she finds real joy in truly seeing others—paying attention kid out,” she sensed the need to expand her ministry. working for Young Life International, she almost never says. For her, ministry is simply “loving people where to what makes them unique or what burdens they She’d heard someone say, “How can you love the world said no to a work trip. Becoming a flight attendant at they are at—literally in the jump seat, but also their might be carrying. Even though working on a flight can that God loves if you haven’t seen the world?” and it age 40 made sense to her and her community and, four place in life.” She rarely flies with the same coworkers be extremely fast-paced, “I take the time to look at sparked something in her. “I just knew in my heart that years later, she hasn’t regretted it. twice, but she’ll often follow up on meaningful people,” Kristalyn says. Handing out beverages, she I wanted more people to know who Jesus is,” she says. True to her spirited nature, Kristalyn boldly ventured conversations with a little note in their office mailbox, tries to make eye contact with passengers who seem With these feelings stirring, Kristalyn returned home into her new vocation, where her ministry is just as offering encouragement or saying that she’d prayed for down, or give an extra cookie to a person she senses from a work trip to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport intentional as it was while working for Young Life. “The them. might sometimes be overlooked. From the Spanish- and saw a sign advertising that Alaska Airlines was ministry part comes in the jump seat, sitting and talking Kristalyn’s ministry of encouragement in the small speaking grandma traveling alone to the moody teenager hiring flight attendants. She’d never considered working with other flight attendants,” she says. “Everyone is things extends just as much to the passengers on on a family vacation, Kristalyn tries to connect with for an airline, but the moment seemed God-inspired— going through a lot and you never realize it.” Well, you her flights. From the Midwest to the South, the East whoever ends up on her flight. “I just want to let people and she decided to go for it. “I literally saw a sign and never realize it unless you ask how they are doing, as Coast to Hawaii and Alaska, the routes she flies offer know that I see them.” never would have thought about it otherwise,” she says. Kristalyn so compassionately does. Instead of picking opportunities to interact with people from all different Sometimes, seeing her passengers means handing For such a dramatic career change, Kristalyn didn’t up a book or making small talk about flying schedules, cultures within and outside of the United States. A out Kleenex, other times it’s laughing at their jokes. experience shocked reactions from friends and family; she makes a point to ask how their day went before graduate of Fuller’s MA in Global Leadership program, She references Romans 12, where Paul writes about rather, everyone from her husband to her friends getting to the airport, or if anything had happened she credits her cross-cultural communication courses rejoicing with those who rejoice and mourning with expressed confidence in her choice. “You’re perfect the day before. That’s when the stories pour out: one for preparing her for this part of the job. “It was very those who mourn. for it,” they told her. “Growing up,” says Kristalyn, “my recently divorced coworker quietly shares the ups and applicable to what I now do on a daily basis,” she says. Kristalyn remembers one flight that affected her mom used to say she should have named me Kristalyn downs of securing child care, while another confides She also found the broad program to validate all of her deeply early in her flight attendant career, traveling a GO instead of Kristalyn Jo! I always loved going places; that he had just helped his aging father move into an natural gifts, like a passion for social justice and loving route the airline calls “the milk run” because it stops at

14 15 many remote Alaskan villages along the way to its final they don't provide anything at all. But this one time, the destination. This particular milk run took place shortly flight had been catered incorrectly, and Kristalyn was after a small sightseeing plane crashed in Alaska, and able to provide her passengers with the finest she had Kristalyn’s flight was full of passengers whose loved to offer from the first-class galley—which she served ones had died in the crash. “It wasn’t a direct flight for to them on elegant plates with real silverware. “At first any of those people to get out and go directly home, so everyone declined my offer, thinking they had to pay,” we had to go three more little stops on this milk run,” she says, “but once they understood they didn’t have to, she says. She still gets choked up thinking about it— I just filled their trays and laid it before them.” remembering one woman who’d been celebrating her As they began to eat, she watched as many sat a wedding anniversary and lost her husband in the crash; little bit taller, Kristalyn remembers. “Even now as I another who had been on a trip with her grown children recall that trip, it brings a big smile to my face and “I just want to let people and husband was now flying home alone. Kristalyn makes my heart crunch a little bit,” she shares. “They walked the aisles, offering tissues and a listening ear. were thankful, gracious, surprised, and joyful. It was know that I see them.” “I was hugging passengers,” she recalls, clearly moved a gift to give the unexpected to people who weren’t by the experience. “I was like, ‘I don’t know you and I’ll expecting anything.” never see you again, but you’re in the depths of despair, It’s that same attitude that has allowed Kristalyn to so I can at least give you a hug and a Coke.’” have a fulfilling ministry in an unconventional career Another memorable time had Kristalyn rejoicing with as a flight attendant. She brings to each flight a similar those who rejoiced on a plane chartered by a cannery posture: thankful, gracious, joyful—not expecting based in Alaska. The flight was full of mostly men anything, but treating each person, each experience, as heading up for a short but brutal season of hard work. a gift. “Many didn't know English fluently and I wondered if they fully knew what they were getting themselves into,” JOY NETANYA THOMPSON (MAT ’12) is the communications senior editor at Fuller. Kristalyn recalls. On such charter flights, the canneries NATE HARRISON is the senior photographer and director of work with the airline to provide certain food and photography at FULLER studio. Find more of his work at beverage selections for the passengers, and sometimes NateCHarrison.com.

16 17 STORY

Rick Reynolds shares how in choosing to look at—and not past—the poor, he’s seen himself and the image of God

Written by ANDRE HENRY Photographed by NATE HARRISON

e d o n’t t hin k of ourselves as being garbage provides access to shelter for about 120 to 140 single adults. They “W generators,” Rick Reynolds (MAT ’85) chuckles while also have an apartment building for 24 formerly homeless seniors. explaining the work he stumbled into at Seattle’s Operation “It’s very simple housing, kind of dormitory-style,” Rick explains. Nightwatch. “We got somebody hauling it off for us, whereas people “But it’s a permanent rental, so people have a bed, a dresser, a sleeping outside don’t have that luxury.” His work has required refrigerator, a place to call home, and a community around them, him to look deeply at those who are often invisible to mainstream which is really great.” He says that these basic survival services society, which he says has been a transformative experience. are essential for people experiencing homelessness to get stable. Operation Nightwatch is a faith-based compassion ministry that Otherwise, “they tend to go from being a one-time homeless person seeks to reduce the impact of poverty and homelessness. Before to being periodically homeless, because they have these recurring joining the organization 25 years ago, Rick was attending Seattle problems, to being somebody who’s stuck on the street.” Pacific University, training to become a school teacher. However, Twenty-five years into doing this work, Rick says he has seen after one quarter of student teaching, he decided to drop out of significant changes in the relationship between the city and its the university’s School of Education. “It was my senior year; I only homeless population. He remembers that years ago it didn’t take had two quarters to finish up, and after one quarter of teaching, I long for people to move from a shelter into some kind of permanent hated it,” he explains. “I have nothing but the highest respect for housing. “But as the downtown and closed-in neighborhoods have people who can manage a classroom. The problem was that I had become gentrified, a lot of people have been priced out,” he says. a high tolerance of chaos, and that doesn’t work in a classroom.” “And so that’s when despair settles in, hopelessness and then Afterward, Rick’s vocational path led from Seattle Pacific to Fuller’s drugs and alcohol become more of an issue, and mental health Seattle campus. issues start to surface. It’s pretty heartbreaking, really.” During his first quarter in seminary, Rick seemed to find Rick speaks of the divide between the city’s homeless and his calling with Operation Nightwatch. Although he was not yet mainstream people as “sadly ironic.” He tells a story to illustrate ordained, he bought a clerical collar to wear while passing out that those with homes are not so different from the homeless: pizzas to Seattle’s poor as a volunteer with the organization. “The newspaper covered how an area of town was being cleared “Nightwatch said if you’re on an ordination track, which I was, out by the authorities, and likely needed to be. The mayor was they didn’t have any qualms about letting you wear the collar,” he proudly showing off the mess that had been left behind by ‘filthy explains. Ten years later, Rick became the organization’s executive homeless people’ on the little greenbelt area,” he recalls. “But director. buried on another page was an article about a 10 million gallon To combat homelessness, Operation Nightwatch provides some sewer overflow into Lake Washington that barely ruffled anybody’s basic survival services, including a dispatch center that feeds and feathers at the time. Ten million gallons of sewage from people

18 19 living in houses dumped into a local lake, but we’re going to focus at the poor, we’ll also have our prejudices challenged, much like on the half ton of garbage that homeless people left behind, his were with Ronnie. “We have these assumptions about people because they are forced to sleep outside and don’t have anything standing on street corners. Panhandlers are who we see,” he to do with their cans and bottles and effluent.” He says he wishes says. “But if you just keep your eyes open, you’re going to see people could see that “human beings are human beings, and homeless people that go to work every day, and homeless people everybody’s worthy of dignity and respect. They all have the stamp that are doing the best job they can to stay out of trouble, and are of God on them.” peaceable, funny, intelligent, talented people.” The problem, Rick suggests, is that cultural lenses of prejudice Sometimes Rick has run into a homeless person he knows often make it difficult for us to recognize the image of God in the through Operation Nightwatch at their workplace. “They’re horrified poor. “They’re all created in the image of God, and that’s the thing: that I’m going to out them, because there’s such a stigma attached I want people to look, and not just look past.” to being homeless that nobody wants to let anybody know, and they Working with the poor has required Rick to truly look at the poor don’t want their families to know,” he says. “Some of them have and to confront his own prejudices. families out of town; they’d be mortified if they found out a loved His first year on the job with Operation Nightwatch, he had a one was homeless.” memorable exchange with a man named Ronnie. To Rick, Ronnie After two and half decades, Rick still understands the fit all of the stereotypes that many assign to the homeless: “He was temptation many of us have to look past the poor. “There’s loud, obnoxious, drank, heard things that nobody else could hear, an awkwardness when you encounter somebody who’s maybe and was getting barred from one shelter after another.” panhandling or sitting around. And we all kind of do that little One night, while standing in front of the shelter with his dance around them, and we don’t want to look too closely,” he says, homeless friends, Ronnie asked, “Pastor Rick, ain’t I beautiful?” recalling how he recently tried to avoid eye contact with someone Telling the story, Rick pauses for a second. “He’s looking at me panhandling at a stoplight. That awkwardness only intensified when with this big crooked grin on his face,” he recalls. “I said, ‘Ronnie, he saw that the panhandling man was someone he knew. “I’m still you're beautiful.’ I'd come up trying to overcome that avoidance. It’s something that everybody next to him to try to do an old needs to get over.” seminary buddy hug. And he If we can manage to get over that, Rick says, he hopes that throws his arms around me. people can graduate from “the acknowledgement of the poor to He’s hunched down. He’s six basic humane treatment.” He suggests keeping an extra bottle of inches taller than me. His water in your car to pass out, or a soft granola bar—“because a lot cheek is pressed up against of these guys can’t chew very well; they don’t have good teeth.” And my cheek. Pulls back, kisses then, he continues, “maybe moving beyond charity to advocacy: me on the cheek, and off speaking up when they’re making it illegal to sleep in your car, or he goes to shelter, into the banning sidewalk loitering.” night.” He believes in the power of looking at—and not past—the poor He admits that he was to gradually transform us, because he continues to experience that initially “self-congratulatory” transformation himself. It’s why, he says, 25 years later, he’s still about that exchange with excited about his work with Operation Nightwatch. Rick dreams that, Ronnie. However, upon perhaps, a commitment on the part of everyday people to refuse to later reflection, he had an look past the poor could lead to a world without tent cities. “I don’t epiphany: “Sometimes I’m know what the way forward is,” he says. “I don’t know how it’s going the ‘Ronnie.’ I’m the one who to happen, but I believe that God’s future for us is that there’s equity doesn’t smell so great. I’m the and social justice and care for all human beings.” one who doesn’t act right. You ANDRE HENRY (MAT ’16) is a writer based in Los Angeles. Find his work at know? That homeless guy has AndreRHenry.com. got every bit of God’s grace on NATE HARRISON is the senior photographer and director of photography at FULLER him that you have.” studio. Find more of his work at NateCHarrison.com. Rick suggests that if we are intentional about looking

20 21 STORY

n s o u t h l o s Angeles, on 91st and Western, a row diverging paths. In high school she was involved in I of six storefronts faces the humming streets. A gangs, selling drugs and running from gunfire. But a colorful mural is painted along a cinderblock wall on combination of her mom pushing her to church and one side, detailed with the words “love, understanding, time spent at a local youth center proved a turning compassion.” On the other end of the mural is a plea: point. The church helped change her heart. The center “Please stop the killing because the pain is forever.” helped her turn straight Fs into straight As, leading to Even from the outside, one can sense the weight of the an education that saved her from what would have been work done in the Al Wooten Jr. Youth Center. a very different life. Of the Wooten Center’s rigorous Inside the youth center is a series of interconnected college prep system and robust educational bent, Naomi rooms—winding and maze-like in order to connect explains, “We’re doing the kind of program I needed.” what used to be six separate retail stores. University But arriving at youth center work wasn’t a pennants line the hallways. Tacked to a bulletin board straightforward path for Naomi. While she was involved are college plan worksheets filled out by students from in the center at its founding, she left to pursue a career third to twelfth grade, detailing their career aspirations in journalism—reporting, for years, on the violence that and goals for higher education. plagued the LA area, including the civil unrest in 1992 Naomi McSwain (MAICS ’09), executive director over the Rodney King beating. “I was at Florence and of the center, explains the comprehensive after-school Normandie that night,” she says. She’d lived minutes and college prep programs the nonprofit offers. Their away. CollegeTrek and Summer Fun Camp activities are all Later, she left South LA to cover gang violence in based on California’s subject requirements for high Pasadena. She wrote on killing after killing, churning school graduation and university admissions. Along with out stories until it burned her out. She felt her stories homework assistance and tutoring, the center offers offered no solutions—the rapid nature of the news world languages and culture, performing and visual cycle didn’t grant her the space or time—and they arts, and SAT prep workshops. Summer classes have even exacerbated the problems of violence by sharing featured aerospace engineering and computer animation information that gangs ended up using to retaliate. She with curricula, materials, and instructors provided by remembers helplessly holding the mother of a victim, a NASA and Disney. Over 350 kids, from all over the woman she was meant to interview, as the woman wept South LA area, are helped by one or another of their in her arms. “I never picked up my notebook,” Naomi programs annually. says of that moment. The trauma of her work eventually Naomi knows the center is involved in crucial, led to an emotional breakdown, and her editors told her life-changing work. But she has her own personal to take a month off. She spent the time in therapy, then ties to the center, too. Alton Wooten Jr., for whom the in prayer. center is named, was her cousin, killed at random in a “I told God I wanted to use my skills to help, instead drive-by shooting—a gang initiation—in 1989. He was of writing all these stories that weren’t going anywhere.” 35. Well loved, he was seen by family and friends as She quit her job and, soon after, decided to further her “everybody’s big brother.” The center was born out of education. “To learn more about children and children’s his family’s determination to establish something in his programming,” she says, “that’s how I ended up at honor that went against the spirit and system of violence Fuller.” It was the inaugural year of the Children at Risk that ended his life. Naomi says, “We couldn’t let him be program in the School of Intercultural Studies. “It gave just another statistic.” me exactly what I was wanting to do as a reporter,” The late Myrtle Faye Rumph—Al’s mother and Naomi says, “to think more critically about the problems Naomi’s aunt—founded the Wooten Center in 1990. To and develop solutions.” affirm the center’s purpose, hanging in one hallway are After her studies, she felt pulled back to youth quilts made up of panels honoring community members center work and set her sights on multiple nonprofit who lost their lives to violence. Al’s panel, made by organizations. She didn’t consider a return to the Al his mother, is displayed next to too many others. The Wooten Center, merely because of how far it was from memorials to the lost next to the college pennants her home. But, in the midst of her search, she received At the Wooten Center in South Los on the walls speak the heart of the center’s mission: a call from her aunt. The center’s executive director was Angeles, Naomi McSwain uses education education as a life-saving alternative to violence. leaving, and they needed somebody for the interim. “It to help young people thrive Naomi herself faced the choice between these never entered my mind that I would end up back here,”

Written by JEROME BLANCO Photographed by LINDSEY SHEETS

22 23 Naomi reflects. “I thought I’d be here for two or three then basing your programs on that,” she says. McDonald’s, too much Jack in the Box. Their solution gangsters—“and that was all he knew,” she says. “We months. I’ve now been here since 2010.” “We preach the concept of homework and studies,” was a community garden!” Now they grow lettuce, had to show him something else.” Juan came to the Naomi has put everything she’s learned into she explains. “After the homework is done, it’s time tomatoes, and kale, right by the basketball courts at the program regularly, and Naomi laughs as she describes practice. The solutions she craved and wrote about to study!” Study, at the center, means working on back. the moment he walked into their job fair, years after extensively at Fuller came to life in the center’s individual challenges and sharpening weak areas, or Everything the center does in its after-school his first day, transformed: in a tie, vest, and belt, his work. Her graduate thesis, “A Missional Approach delving into research on whatever subject interests the program is project based. Instead of math or science shirt tucked in. “He’s doing well now,” she says. “He to Gang Prevention in Los Angeles,” serves as a student. “It’s college prep,” Naomi says. “Learn how to lectures, the kids have math and science labs—time to graduated last year.” framework for much of what the center does. Naomi research, to study, to be disciplined.” learn through practice. “The kids love it,” Naomi says. Naomi is ready and willing to deal with the more credits her studies for teaching her the importance of The practice has taught kids to use a critical and She glows while recalling their kids’ success stories. challenging kids too. She thinks of Debra, saying, “she contextualization, which has defined how the center constructive lens to view their world—to identify She remembers Juan, who came to the center as a reminds me of the old me—loud, boisterous, obnoxious, serves its students. “How do you contextualize? problems and create solutions. “A problem the kids nine-year-old, pants sagging low. “He’d tell everybody, rude, belligerent.” Debra did everything she could to get Learning about the kids, seeing what they want, and identified was junk food,” Naomi says. “Too much ‘All of my friends are O.G.s’”—shorthand for original herself kicked out. But it takes “baby steps” to get to

24 25 change, Naomi says. After months of resistance, Debra agreed to fill out a college plan, smiling about the idea of college after the center took her on a tour of UCLA. “I’m always fine with the rambunctious ones,” Naomi says. “I love to talk to those kids because I was that kid.” In her office, she keeps pictures of herself from her gang years. “That’s not you, Miss Naomi!” kids say. But she assures them she’s that girl. “Then I show them my degrees. I say, guess what? You can change too.” Even with the ups and downs, she says, “I can’t think of a kid here—and I hope it never happens— that went bad, or went the other way. They always improve. Of course they’re going to improve if you’re nurturing them. Between education and showing them opportunities, that will change their life. If that’s not ministry, I don’t know what is.” She remembers a young man she interviewed when she was still a journalist: a gang member who’d survived being shot by an AK-47. “What are your goals and dreams?” she asked him. “I want to be a truck driver,” he told her, “so I can drive far away from here.” “A place to go for something to do,” Naomi says, capturing the spirit of what the center offers kids like this young man, who said he’d joined a gang because he had nothing else to do. “If he’d been in an after-school program,” she says, “maybe he never would’ve gotten into a gang or been shot.” Instead of violence, she says, “We have to give them something else.” Through the Al Wooten Center, Naomi strives to offer that something else day by day. “This is mission work in South Los Angeles,” she says. “It’s saving lives.”

+ Learn more about the Wooten Center at www.wootencenter.org/supporters/.

JEROME BLANCO (MDiv ’16) is a communications writer and social media strategist for FULLER studio. LINDSEY SHEETS is a video editor and colorist for FULLER studio.

26 27 STORY

At Dale House, Jim Oraker helps at-risk teens find a second chance

Written by ALIX RILEY Photographed by NATE HARRISON

t a l l s ta r t e d with the runaways, the kids who I ended up on the decidedly unglamorous streets of Hollywood in the late sixties. Jim Oraker (PhD ’70) was training lay counselors at First Presbyterian Church to serve in a coffeehouse ministry called the Salt Company, and in the “crash houses” that offered teenagers and young adults a brief respite from a broken life. “I kept being drawn to the street,” he says. “I wasn’t drawn to the pulpit, but I was drawn to the people.” He saw the possibility within these at-risk adolescents and, he says, “I got hooked.” He trained the church workers to listen to young people, to be empathetic, warm, and genuine. “I saw the importance of that,” Jim says, “and I said, ‘That’s what I want to do.’” He dreamed of creating a live- in setting where young people could experience the healing power of Christian community. After receiving his MDiv and then a PhD in clinical psychology from Fuller, he had his chance to make his dream a reality. In 1972, Jim joined his friend George Sheffer III and his father, George Sheffer Jr., when they founded the Dale House Project, a residential treatment center for troubled young people, in Colorado Springs. Jim served as the training director, and today, as an “almost retired” psychologist, he still serves on the project’s board of directors. “I think we’ve all been amazed at how effective it’s been,” Jim says, “and it’s still going strong.” Dale House, which received its initial funding from a Lilly Foundation grant, began under the auspices of Young Life, the parachurch ministry where Jim had been on staff as an undergraduate. It is now a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, named for the

28 29 downtown street where the facilities are located. “We didn’t want any fancy psychological names,” Jim says. “All of our kids have grown up in such a way where neglect, abuse, and trauma have just been a part of their lives,” says Ted Woodard, executive director of Dale House. “Year after year after year, and kid after kid after kid, it’s just unbelievable the stories of what our kids have suffered, what they’ve been through, what they’ve really had to do to survive.” He notes that although they have been victims, they also have had victims. “Our kids have committed so many crimes,” he says. “Every kid that’s here at this particular point in time is either here for assault, burglary, or robbery.” It’s normal for the Dale House residents to have grand theft auto, carjacking, home burglaries, or shootings on their records, says Ted. They stay, on average, from five to ten months. During that time, some complete a GED or take classes at the local high school, community college, or vocational school. Others work at off-site jobs, or in the Dale House urban garden. They develop skills in banking, budgeting, grocery shopping, and cooking. Just as important, the residents build relationships with their peers and with the live-in staff. “Relationship is the key to intervention—that’s the psychology word—for young people who are lost,” Jim says. “It has a pretty solid theological basis, but also a psychological basis.” This model uses an integrative approach drawn from Jim’s studies at Fuller, influenced by family systems theory, Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book Life Together, and what Jim describes as a “theology of a second chance.” Dale House offers a form of community that the young people may never have experienced. “On a daily basis, they’ll see trust. They’ll see compassion,” he says. And they’ll also experience accountability. When a problem arises, the staff will lovingly say, “We need to talk about this.” Ted, the executive director, tells the story of a young man whose relapse into drug use meant he had to leave Dale House. When Ted and another staff member picked the young man up at his workplace to take him back to jail, they allowed him to explain the situation to his boss, giving him the dignity of leaving his job well— something he had never done before. After finishing his jail time, he returned to Dale House, and left with his court-ordered restitution paid, $2,000 saved, and his relationship with his mom restored. This same ethos of communal accountability infuses the way the Dale House staff and the board operate. “We have times of training, times of sharing, and times

30 31 for confronting,” Jim says. “In the tough times, we try to increasingly violent content. Bullying, both online and handle it as a family.” in person, has intensified. “It’s pretty difficult for kids The staff, known as primary care workers, are recent to even believe they’re likeable,” Jim says. But the Dale college graduates who serve for a year as they prepare House team has a different perception: “We see them for careers in such fields as chaplaincy, social work, and as young people who were given to us by God.” education. Many have gone on to study at Fuller through The concept of relational healing has informed other a partnership arrangement with the seminary. “What aspects of Jim’s work and personal life. He developed I wanted to do was train counselors who would live in and served as cochair of the Colorado Psychological this setting and become role models,” Jim says, “but Association’s Colleague Assistance Program (CAP), also who were clinically trained and theologically sound. designed to support psychologists in distress as What I really enjoy is the people who come and are the result of personal, financial, or professional being trained by us to go out and do likewise.” problems, such as a client filing a complaint with the The staff work with referring agencies, teachers, state licensing board. He also chaired the American probation officers, and court-appointed guardians. Psychological Association’s Advisory Committee on But they are also responsible for leading devotionals, Colleague Assistance. Even in that context, he focused speaking at the Sunday “family night,” and modeling on providing good relational care as well as good Christlike behavior. “We’re talking about incarnational advice. He described the beginning of the consultation ministry,” Jim explains. “We use it in action, not only in process in a 2007 interview with the APA Monitor on theological language.” Psychology: “Oftentimes, we’ll meet in a coffee shop That ministry also involves caring for the staff, who and just start talking. The first interview is to kind of can feel overwhelmed by the stress of dealing with quell their fears and assure them we have people who behavioral challenges, and the long shifts required for will stick with them,” he says. supervising their assigned residents 24 hours a day. If He and his wife have belonged to one small group they need extra time off or counseling, they get it, Jim or another since their days in Pasadena, and he’s a big says. supporter of the small group model that many churches Initially, Dale House dealt mostly with drug issues, have adopted to encourage members to care for one but as the culture has changed, the severity of the another. He also meets with six of his former Fuller problems has increased dramatically. A few years ago, classmates every July in Southern California. They shots were fired into the facility in a drive-by incident. began calling themselves “the bucket boys” after one The executive director eventually learned the identity of them described the annual reunions as one of his of the shooter, and reached out to him while he was in “bucket list” items. custody. “It’s gone from light street work to very serious Jim’s heart, though, still reserves a special place social work” involving young people coming out of for lost and discarded young people, just as it did incarceration, Jim says. Some have been involved with more than four decades ago. There have been success gangs. Most are referred by the Department of Human stories, like the Dale House alumnus who became a Services and the Division of Youth Services, which successful businessman, and now hosts a barbecue for provides for the care of youths committed by the courts. the staff and residents each year. But, Jim adds, “There But the intense issues they bring haven’t diminished his have also been losses.” empathy for them. One of his great joys is to see individual lives The problems of abuse, neglect, and trauma aren’t transformed as the community bears witness to the new. “It’s always been difficult for some kids growing healing power of the gospel. Such change, he says, “is up,” Jim says. But now, “from junior high on up, it has the movement of the Spirit.” become much more pressure packed.” Technology often ALIX RILEY (MAT ’15) is a Fuller senior admissions counselor who lives exacerbates the problems. Kids who lack strong family and writes in Newport Beach, California. support become attracted to unhealthy relationships, NATE HARRISON is the senior photographer and director of as they always have. Now, Jim notes, computers and photography at FULLER studio. Find more of his work at smartphones have given young people easy access to NateCHarrison.com. a dark and destructive side of the culture, including

32 33 SUFFERING WITH

Introduction 36 The Holy, Exquisite Mutuality Cynthia Eriksson, Guest Editor of Sharing Suffering and Joy with Others 54 Suffering With: A Tender Jude Tiersma Watson with Chris Albisurez Journey of Mutuality in Suffering, Comfort, and Joy 38 The Curses of God’s People: Cynthia Eriksson Dynamics of a Genuine Covenantal Interaction 60 Responding to Suicide with the Daniel D. Lee Ministry of God’s Presence 42 Mary Glenn Composing a Lament for the Persecuted: Suffering with the 고독한 고난의 우월감에서 더불어 Suffering Church 64 고난의 겸손함으로 Edwin M. Willmington From Proud Suffering Alone to Humble Suffering With 46 Suffering from Within: Suffering 조은아 Eun Ah Cho With Those for Whom Suffering Is a Way of Life 68 Sarah Ashley Hill he natural human response to pain is withdrawal. We hide, That is why suffering with is so very important. How do we walk in the presence of real joy and real pain? FROM WITHDRAWAL TO avoid, numb, deflect, and blame. It is normal to protect oneself. Daniel Lee reminds us to suffer unabashedly with God, with TBut the gospel tells a different story: Jesus is moved with com- The “with-ness” in suffering has many postures. It can be a lament and imprecation. Alexia Salvatierra examines Latin SUFFERING WITH passion. Jesus weeps and cries out. Jesus goes to the cross, and commitment to walking the journey together. Jude Tiersma American views of suffering, offering a perspective of redemp- Jesus reaches with forgiveness into the pain of betrayal. Jesus Watson and Chris Albisurez describe the gift of mutual trans- tive suffering that leads to liberation. I encourage us to consider by Cynthia Eriksson suffers with. formation made possible by vulnerably sharing painful stories. the discipline of making space for the transformative work of Guest Theology Editor Mary Glenn writes of the unique challenge of walking with Christ in our own lives, even as we open our hearts to hold, feel, We are all called to be present in suffering. Present to the reality those experiencing the pain of suicide. and digest the pain of others. of our own pain (Phil 3:10). Present to God with the truth of our deep emotions (Ps 88). Present to our loved ones as their pain rips a “With-ness” can also be honest leadership that models pain and There is hope. It is in the living and suffering with that we grow, hole in our comfort (John 11:33–35). And present to the suffering of uncertainty. As Eun Ah Cho challenges us, we do not serve “knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance the oppressed, the poor, and the marginalized (Ps 82:3; Rom 12:15). our community or Christ when we keep others away from produces character, and character produces hope” (Rom 5:3–4). our suffering. Sarah Ashley Hill describes the importance of Yet sometimes in our faith communities, suffering may be spoken showing the messy journey of pain, in particular for leaders Hope is not in withdrawal. It is in WITH! only after the rescue has come. We value the testimony of triumph, in places where trauma is embedded in daily life. Ed Willm- while it is harder to swallow a testimony of pain, confusion, loss, ington calls us to suffer with those who are suffering for the disappointment, or anger toward God. sake of the gospel.

a respuesta humana natural al dolor es evitarlo. Nos escondem- confusión, pérdida, decepción o enojo hacia Dios. su vez, nos llama a sufrir con aquellos que están sufriendo por el DEJANDO DE ALEJARNOS os, evitamos, entumecemos, desviamos y culpamos. Es normal bien del evangelio. Lprotegerse a uno/a mismo/a. Pero, el evangelio cuenta una Por eso es tan importante el sufrir en compañerismo con Y COMENZANDO A historia diferente. los/as demás. ¿Cómo caminamos en presencia de verdadera alegría y verdadero dolor? Daniel Lee nos recuerda que debemos sufrir abiertamente SUFRIR CON LOS DEMÁS Jesús es movido a compasión. Jesús llora y clama. Jesús va a la cruz, El sufrimiento con los demás tiene muchas posturas. Puede ser con Dios, con lamento e imprecación. Alexia Salvatierra examina y Jesús alcanza con perdón el dolor de la traición. Jesús sufre en un compromiso de hacer el viaje juntos. Jude Tiersma Watson y la visión latinoamericana del sufrimiento, ofreciendo una per- por Cynthia Eriksson compañerismo. Chris Albisurez describen el don de la transformación mutua que spectiva del sufrimiento redentor que conduce a la liberación. fue posible por el vulnerable intercambio de historias dolorosas y Nos animo a considerar la disciplina de hacer espacio para la Todos estamos llamados/as a estar presentes en el sufrimiento. Pre- de trauma. Mary Glenn escribe sobre el desafío único de caminar obra transformadora de Cristo en nuestras propias vidas, incluso sentes a la realidad de nuestro propio dolor (Filipenses 3:10). Pre- con quienes experimentan el dolor del suicidio. cuando abrimos nuestros corazones para sostener, sentir y digerir sentes a Dios con la verdad de nuestras emociones profundas (Sal 88). el dolor de los demás. Presentes a nuestros seres queridos, ya que su dolor hace un agujero El sufrimiento con los demás también puede ser un liderazgo en nuestra comodidad (Juan 11: 33–35). Y presentes al sufrimiento honesto que modela el dolor y la incertidumbre. Como Eun Ah Hay esperanza. Es en el vivir y el sufrir con lo demás con lo que de las oprimidas, los pobres y los marginados (Sal 82: 3; Rom 12:15). Cho nos desafía, no servimos a nuestra comunidad ni a Cristo crecemos, "sabiendo que el sufrimiento produce paciencia, y la cuando mantenemos a otros alejados de nuestro sufrimiento. paciencia produce carácter, y el carácter produce esperanza" Sin embargo, en nuestras comunidades de fe, se habla de sufrimiento Sarah Ashley Hill describe la importancia de mostrar el desorde- (Rom 5:3–4). solo después de que haya llegado el rescate. Valoramos el testimonio nado viaje del dolor, en particular para los líderes en lugares donde de triunfo, mientras que es más difícil tragar un testimonio de dolor, el trauma está incrustado en la vida diaria. Ed Willmington, a La esperanza no se retira. ¡Permanece!

간은 고통을 감지하면 본능적으로 물러섭니다. 그래서 우리는 반면, 고통과 혼란과 상실과 낙심과 하나님을 향한 분노에 대해서 입을 그리고 Ed Willmington은 복음을 위해 고난 당하는 이들과 함께 고난 당할 물러서지 말고 고난 숨고, 회피하고, 감정을 차단하고, 인지적 편향을 일으키고, 타인을 떼는 것을 어려워 합니다. 것을 요청합니다. 인비난합니다. 이런 식으로 자신을 보호하는 것은 지극히 정상입니다. 그런데 복음이 들려주는 이야기는 사뭇 다릅니다. 바로 이 때문에 고난 가운데 함께 서는 것이 그토록 중요합니다. 우리의 여정 가운데 진정한 기쁨과 진정한 고통이 찾아올 때 우리는 가운데 함께 서기 어떤 모습인가요? Daniel Lee는 애통과 저주 가운데 부끄러워 말고 예수님은 연민의 정이 깊은 분입니다. 예수님은 눈물을 흘리며 우시고, 목놓아 고난을 함께하는 것(‘with-ness’)은 여러 모습으로 드러납니다. 어떤 하나님과 함께 고난 받으라고 우리를 일깨워줍니다. Alexia Salvatierra는 울부짖기도 하십니다. 예수님은 십자가를 향해서 걸어가시고, 배신의 고통 이들에게 이것은 긴 여정을 함께 걷겠다는 헌신입니다. Jude Tiersma 고난을 바라보는 남미인들의 시각을 설명하며, 해방으로 이끄는 구속적 신시아 에릭슨 저 속으로 용서를 품고 들어가십니다. 예수님은 함께 서서 고난을 받으십니다. Watson과 Chris Albisurez는 지워지지 않는 고통스러운 경험에 대해 고난이라는 관점을 제시합니다. 부디 바라기는 우리가 마음을 열어 이야기하며 자신의 약한 부분을 드러내는 가운데 시작되는 상호 변화의 타인의 고통을 품고, 공감하고, 이해하는 그 순간에도, 우리의 삶 가운데 우리는 모두 고난의 자리에 함께 하라는 부르심을 받았습니다. 우리는 자신의 선물에 대해서 말해줍니다. Mary Glenn은 자살로 인해 고통받는 이들과 그리스도께서 일하실 수 있는 변화의 공간을 만드는 훈련을 우리 모두 고통스런 현실로 나아가야 하고 (빌 3:10), 우리의 깊은 속마음을 가지고 함께 걷는 일의 특별한 어려움에 대해 서술합니다. 지속할 수 있기를 바랍니다. 하나님께 나아가야 하며 (시 88), 우리의 안락함에 균열을 일으키는 사랑하는 이들의 고통으로 나아가야 하고 (요 11:33-35), 가난하고 억압받고 소외된 함께함(‘with-ness’)은 또 고통과 불안을 빚어가는 정직한 리더십이기도 그 공간에 소망이 있습니다. “환난은 인내를, 인내는 연단을, 연단은 이들의 고난의 자리로 나아가야 합니다 (시 82:3, 롬 12:15). 합니다. 조은아가 권면하듯이, 남들을 나 자신의 고통 가운데로 받아들이지 소망을 이루는 줄 앎이로다 (롬 5:3-4)” 라는 말씀처럼, 함께 살아가며 못한다면 우리는 이웃도 그리스도도 섬길 수 없게 됩니다. Sarah Ashley 함께 고난 받는 그 자리에서 비로소 우리는 성장하게 됩니다. 그런데 때때로 믿음의 공동체 안에서 우리는 고난에서 벗어난 이후에야 비로소 Hill은 트라우마가 일상이 되어버린 곳에서는 리더가 정돈되지 않은 고난을 이야기하게 되는 것 같습니다. 우리는 승리의 간증을 높이 평가하는 고통의 혼잡한 여정을 여실히 보여주는 것이 중요함을 이야기합니다. 소망은 물러섬에 있지 않습니다. 소망은 ‘함께’에 있습니다!

36 37 THEOLOGY

SUFFERING WITH: A TENDER JOURNEY OF MUTUALITY IN SUFFERING, COMFORT, AND JOY

Cynthia Eriksson

Cynthia Eriksson (PhD ’97, MAT ’96) rite “tenderly.” That was the prompt- not want us to feel pain. How did my Protes- become emotionally, physically, and spiritu- vulnerability, then perhaps finding a way to This is not a passive stance in the work of thought she was going to be a mis- ing I felt from God as I prayed for the tant, white, middle-class church upbringing ally engaged. listen—but not to care—is the antidote? suffering with; rather, experiencing our sionary. But by following God’s call, W umpteenth time for guidance on how teach me that God wanted me to feel good? emotions in this way is actually a skill we she serves today as associate profes- to write this article. I heard it in my heart: When did suffering and pain become some- That engagement can have a cost. It is possible The divine answer to that question is, “No!” can develop. As we pay attention to our sor of psychology and chair of the “Tenderly.” thing that indicated a lack of God’s presence, to develop posttraumatic stress disorder just Just as Jesus “moved into the neighborhood” feelings, we are also paying attention to our doctor of psychology (PsyD) program or a lack of God’s strength?1 The reality is by hearing stories about traumatic events (John 1:14, The Message), we are called to bodily experience. A clenched stomach, tight in the School of Psychology. Her Friends, this is a challenging journey. that being human brings suffering. Caring from people we care about.5 The stories can “move in” towards the pain. Further, con- shoulders, or feeling agitated or jumpy are all research and teaching have focused for one’s fellow humans is painful. stick, and the pain is real. It may be that necting deeply with someone in the midst signals of our internal state. We can practice on trauma, spirituality, burnout, and The call to “suffer with” in the role of pastor, these stories are reminders of earlier pain: of suffering can actually become a means of taking slow rhythmic breaths, pressing our staff care for ministry leaders of many therapist, counselor, or chaplain is one that THE COST OF SUFFERING WITH memories of our own abuse, neglect, fright- protection against vicarious traumatization.7 feet into the floor, and grounding ourselves types. She has conducted research holds great joy and great sorrow. You have Henri Nouwen challenges readers to count ening events, or loss. It may also be that the in the present moment. and training in several international seen the best and the worst of people. The that cost in his small but powerful book Can accumulation of stories begins to wear down Trauma clinicians and researchers suggest contexts (including Uganda, Jordan, really difficult thing (that likely no one You Drink the Cup? 2 When James and John, our capacity to process the emotions. The that the openness to feeling pain is an import- Another active skill to practice is attention to and Guatemala), but the joy of raising warned you about) is that you cannot go back. the sons of Zebedee, press Jesus with their threat of tragedy and violation can become ant part of working through vicarious trauma. rumination. Miller and Sprang note: her two sons, Noah (19) and Ian (15), You cannot un-hear the stories that you have desire for a position of privilege and attention, a shadow that colors our lenses on the world. Many of us who have written about resilience and partnering with her husband, heard. You cannot un-know the types of evil Jesus asks them, “Can you drink the cup?” We can begin to store up evidence that the to indirect trauma (including myself) have em- The content of ruminations involves Nord, always brings her home. and abuse that have been perpetrated on (Matt 20:22). Nouwen writes, “Jesus’ cup is world is not safe or that people are not trust- phasized the things that counselors or pastors a focus on what we are feeling, and is people dear to you. You cannot un-see the the cup of sorrow, not just his own sorrow, worthy. All of those examples of pain can can do outside of work time. Good self-care usually a passive re-experiencing of dis- images of destruction, violence, or mutila- but the sorrow of the whole human race. It begin to cloud our ability to see the hopeful practices, such as healthy eating and exercise quieting events. Ruminations often focus tion that have been in your gaze. You hold is a cup full of physical, mental, and spiritu- possibilities of human kindness, and we start habits, and supportive supervisory and peer on judgments about the events or people the reality of human life and human pain in al anguish.”3 Nouwen invites the reader to to tell ourselves stories about the need for pro- relationships are an essential part of reducing involved and the negative aspect of what your heart. reflect on the actions this question implies: tection, control, or distance. burnout at work.8 This foundational health is happened, or what we should have done, holding, lifting, and drinking the cup in its important, as there is evidence that experienc- or what was so distressful about what Depending upon your cultural and social fullness of joy and suffering. This is not only Physically, our bodies respond to the sense of ing burnout can make us even more at risk someone else did.12 location, the reality of evil and pain may be a the suffering that we ourselves face, this is the threat. Our sleep can be disrupted with night- of developing secondary or vicarious trauma challenge in different ways. If you have lived capacity to drink the suffering of others—to mares, or we can find ourselves easily irritat- symptoms.9 However, in addition to these Rumination happens when we let our minds in relative privilege (as I have), you may have suffer with. ed and jumpy. We may feel especially revved life balance and health choices, there are im- wander. You can hear the temptation to blame insulated yourself from an awareness of vul- up or worn out. We might also notice that we portant emotional and cognitive skills that the self or others, to grasp at the illusion of nerability or threat. Hearing the stories and “Drinking the cup” in ministry brings us face avoid people, places, or things that remind contribute to resilience in drawing toward control, or to worry. Yet we are called to seeing the pain dismantles that defense. If to face with stories of unexpected tragedy, us of the tragedies. Ultimately, we might try connection with others. “capture every thought” (2 Cor 10:5). you are part of a community facing ongoing human betrayal, abuse, and evil. Hearing to avoid the feelings by disconnecting from violence, attending to the needs of your people the details and caring for the storytellers others or numbing out with overwork, food, Brian Miller and Ginny Sprang call moving To combat rumination, we need to first pay is a daily task. Taking the time to consider makes the cup of sorrow personal and deeply the internet, or other substances. Trauma toward the pain a “radical empathy,” which attention and acknowledge when this is hap- your own pain, or the cumulative impact of so painful. Psychologists have noted the extent specialists have identified this phenomenon is a genuine empathy that draws us to engage pening. Recognize that thinking again and many stories, may feel impossible. Navigating of this pain. In her seminal book Trauma and as “indirect trauma,” “vicarious trauma,” or and feel, rather than disconnect and stay at again about a situation is not the same as the space of suffering and trauma as a Chris- Recovery, Judith Herman writes, “trauma “secondary traumatic stress.”6 the surface.10 The skill needed in this moment problem solving (rumination actually reduces tian leader in your community—shepherding is contagious.”4 This contagion of traumat- is attention to our own feelings as we are our ability to problem solve). Then, a key step and teaching, consoling and exhorting, cele- ic events can spread as you hear a detailed Suffering with can break your heart. present with others’. Noticing our feelings and in dismantling the ruminative process is to brating and praising—can be exhausting. account and picture the experience. Perhaps naming them are steps to “metabolize” pain.11 move from passive to active. Capture those it is a young woman sharing about the night THE SKILLS OF SUFFERING WITH When we try to suppress or avoid our feelings, wandering thoughts and shift them to active Our theologies may even contribute to the vul- she was assaulted on a date. Or maybe it is It is tempting to create a type of wall around leaving them unexamined and unresolved, and specific thoughts. What can you do in nerability with which we approach suffering. a man describing what he saw when he our hearts that allows us to hear the story we are at risk of bringing those feelings, and that moment? It may be an act of advocacy or In the human desire to avoid pain, we may regained consciousness in the wreckage of a but not feel the feeling. If caring about some- the associated physical and cognitive labor, providing resources. Or, it may be an inten- create theologies that suggest that God does car accident. The stories draw you in, and you one’s life is what opens us up to this pain and into the rest of our day. tional choice to prayerfully give the situation

38 39 to God in lament or intercession. If you find midst of the despair is hope, in the midst others. But what if it is less of a state of being, ENDNOTES yourself ruminating at other times of day, of Babylon is a glimpse of Jerusalem, and and more of an active process? By being in the 1. Consider the reflections of Kate Bowler in her bookEv - move to activities that require attention and in the midst of the army of demons is the midst of experiencing the comfort of Christ as erything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved build positive emotion (such as exercise or a consoling angel. The cup of sorrow, incon- I am honest and open to the suffering in my (New York: Random House, 2018). Further, Mark Lab- productive hobby) or seek connection in rela- ceivable as it seems, is also the cup of joy. own and others’ hearts, I am available to be a berton interviewed Bowler for the Conversing podcast: tionships (and avoid isolation).13 Only when we discover this in our own life channel of Christ’s comfort to others. We are fullerstudio.fuller.edu/kate-bowler-on-suffering/. can we consider drinking it.14 sharing both suffering and consolation (v. 7). 2. H. J. Nouwen, Can You Drink the Cup? (Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press, 2006). As you reflect on the skills and resources you By being open to pain, I am open to Christ’s 3. Ibid., 39. have developed to support the call of suffering The intermingling of suffering and joy is cul- comfort, and in receiving that comfort, I am 4. J. Herman, Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of with, ask yourself these questions: tivated in the opportunity for mutual comfort present to the pain of others. Violence—from Domestic Abuse to Political Terror (New and healing. As Paul writes to the Corinthi- York: BasicBooks, 1992), 140. • What rhythms of rest and work have ans, In the drinking and digesting—metaboliz- 5. American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and Statisti- cal Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed. (Washington, DC: you found to sustain yourself? ing—of the cup of suffering, we experience American Psychiatric Association, 2013). May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus the mutuality of joining in relationship. It is 6. For a recent review of literature on these topics see C.B. • What spiritual practices have you Christ be blessed! He is the compassion- only when we are with the sufferer that we Eriksson, A. Wilkins, and N. Frederick, “Trauma, Faith, and adopted to root your very self into the ate Father and God of all comfort. He’s are blessed to hear the day-to-day grace, the Care for the Counselor,” in Treating Trauma in Christian foundation of Christ’s love? the one who comforts us in all our trouble moments of God’s provision, the gratitude for Counseling, ed. H. D. Gingrich and F. Gingrich (Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2017). so that we can comfort other people who ordinary miracles, or the internal transfor- 7. R. L. Harrison and M. J. Westwood, “Preventing Vicarious • What friends and colleagues have are in every kind of trouble. We offer the mation of character that the Spirit works. As Traumatization of Mental Health Therapists: Identifying opened their hearts and ears to your same comfort that we ourselves received witnesses to this healing, we can also find the Protective Practices,” Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, cries of lament and doubt? from God. That is because we receive so strength to bring our own pain to God and Practice, Training 46, no. 2 (2009): 203–219. much comfort through Christ in the same others. Through mutuality God’s transform- 8. Additional resources: International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies, www.istss.org/treating-trauma/self-care- • What resources have you discovered way that we share so many of Christ’s ing power continues to shape us. for-providers/; Secondary Traumatic Stress Coalition, www. that name the pain in language that sufferings. So if we have trouble, it is to stscoalition.com/; Institute for Collective Trauma and helps you know you are not crazy? bring you comfort and salvation. If we are Remember, though Paul was speaking about Growth, www.ictg.org/downloadable-guidelines/. comforted, it is to bring you comfort from all affliction, it was in the context of being dis- 9. K. Shoji et al., “What Comes First, Job Burnout or Sec- • What habits do you have to draw you out the experience of endurance while you go ciples of Christ. Living out the gospel brings ondary Traumatic Stress? Findings from Two Longitudinal Studies from the U.S. and Poland.” PLoS ONE 10, no. 8 of rumination? through the same sufferings that we also pain and trial, but it also is rooted in the hope (2015). suffer. Our hope for you is certain, because of the kingdom to come. As we suffer with, we 10. B. Miller and G. Sprang, “A Components-Based Practice • Now ask yourself, am I practicing these? we know that as you are partners in suffer- are also challenged to consider what action and Supervision Model for Reducing Compassion Fatigue ing, so also you are partners in comfort. (2 we can take to bring change or justice.16 We by Affecting Clinician Experience,” Traumatology 23, no. These are not simply questions; they are Corinthians 1:3–7) are not simply called to comfort and be com- 2 (2017): 153–165, 159. 11. Ibid., 156. lifelines. forted, we are called to discern the unique 12. Ibid., 157. This is an active, healing, mutual transforma- ways that God has equipped us to act. We can 13. Ibid. THE JOY OF SUFFERING WITH tion. In fact, notice that Paul uses the plural move from feeling and thinking to acting. 14. Nouwen, Can You Drink the Cup, 43. The extraordinary promise in answering pronouns to remind us that both the comfort 15. P. Barnett, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, in The the call to “drink the cup” is that it is a cup of and the suffering are communal experi- As we suffer with others, we are comforted, New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1997), 67. both suffering and joy. That is the paradox: ences.15 It is embarrassing to admit that for invited to transformation, and moved to act in 16. On October 30, 2018, at the Fuller School of Psychology in feeling the pain, joining the suffering, or many years as a white, highly educated, up- solidarity. The suffering sparks our indigna- Panel on Black Psychology, Thema Bryant Davis noted the “drinking the cup,” we find comfort and joy. per-middle-class privileged woman, I held an tion, the consolation reminds us of the hope ways that White Western psychology focuses on coping Nouwen writes, idea of comfort as though it meant “comfort- of the kingdom coming, and God’s presence with symptoms of trauma, rather than creating change. able.” I functioned out of an expectation that brings the joy that sustains us. This is a tender See also T. Bryant Davis, Thriving in the Wake of Trauma: A Multicultural Guide (Westport, CT: Praeger, 2005). In the midst of the sorrows is consolation, being “comforted” by God would allow me journey of mutual healing that ends with joy. in the midst of the darkness is light, in the the strength to reach out and be a comfort to

40 41 THEOLOGY

RESPONDING TO SUICIDE WITH THE MINISTRY OF GOD’S PRESENCE

Mary Glenn

Mary Glenn, an educator, chaplain, tudent committed suicide, please call and life experience with, understanding of, were distraught. As chaplains, we provided own. People need space and time to mourn. nity for us to educate people about suicide and bridge builder, is an affiliate pro- ASAP.” and responses to grief. In addition to being presence, care, and resources. Since neither Funerals and other rituals help people share prevention. fessor in urban studies with Fuller’s “S aware of my lenses, I try to be sensitive to I nor my chaplain partner spoke Cantonese, their grief and collectively remember their School of Intercultural Studies and The text flashed across my phone while the lens and understandings of those whose we connected them with the local Chinese loved one. Yet the public nature of these During the service, we spoke from John 12:24: also teaches at other graduate I was sitting in my Tuesday night Bible study. worlds I step into. Their cultural experience funeral home. These “care-givers” helped services might be difficult and complicated “Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat schools. She has been a law enforce- It is the kind of text I have received countless with and practices of grief could be starkly them culturally process the death and ac- in the case of a suicide, with the complexity of falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a ment chaplain since 2001, currently times before, and it is never easy to read. A different from my own. There is no norma- companying issues such as shame and grief. pain and uncertainty that loved ones may feel. single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” serving with the Los Angeles County 14-year-old Chinese boy from an immigrant tive approach to death, including suicide—but There are different types of responses each of We handed out stalks of wheat and encour- District Attorney’s Office, and is a family killed himself. As the local senior there are best practices that span the diversity. us can give and roles we can play as care-giv- FROM SUICIDE COMPLETION TO SUICIDE PREVENTION aged everyone present to live their lives to the police chaplain trainer as well as an police chaplain, I was called in to provide ers, walking with others through their pain In the aftermath of death by suicide, friends, fullest. The memory of this young man now ordained pastor with over 20 years of support, grief care, and help to school per- RISK FOR SUICIDE and loss. family, coworkers, and neighbors can be left lives in them. We encouraged them to tell experience. Glenn regularly leads sonnel. When I arrived at the school the next According to the Centers for Disease Control confused and sad. We can help people work others that they care for them and to reach urban immersions and downtown city morning, I was asked to meet in the vice prin- and Prevention (CDC), in 2016 suicide was Care-givers can provide space for the mul- through their emotions by acknowledging out to those who may feel hopeless. walks in Los Angeles and is the cipal’s office with the student’s teachers and the second leading cause of death among titude of feelings that result from a suicide. what happened, asking about their feelings, co-president of Cities Together, a guidance counselors. These staff members individuals between the ages of 10 and 34. When individuals commit suicide, the com- and being open to hearing the variety of When the seed dies, hope, life, and purpose faith-based nonprofit organization were in shock, wrestling with grief and guilt. There were more than twice as many suicides munity may ask the “why” questions: Why memories they might share with us of the can result. Grieving and remembering that resources leaders as they seek They asked the “what if” questions: What if (44,965) in the United States as there were ho- did this happen? Why couldn’t I stop it? Why person. together is an important step in the healing God’s peace in their cities. I missed something? What if I could have micides (19,362).1 didn’t I see the signs? As care-givers, we can process. Life can come from loss, and death stopped him from doing this? remind people that suicide is one person’s As we walk with people in the aftermath of and pain can be redeemed. The concern is not just for completed suicides, decision. Family and friends may feel respon- suicide, they may long to return to the days of One of the student’s teachers stated, “There but also for suicide attempts. It may never be sible and blame themselves, and at the same old, before their loss. We can encourage them MINISTRY OF PRESENCE is nothing you can say that will convince known why an individual takes—or attempts time be angry that this person did not give to gradually move into their new normal and Care-givers walk with others through their me that it isn’t my fault. I missed the signs. to take—his or her life, or what influences them a chance to help. find ways to keep taking steps forward in suffering and can provide safe places for them I could have stopped it.” I felt the weight those reasons. There are, however, some the midst of their loss. Yet recovering from to be heard, known, and loved. In my early of those words and wanted to relieve this warning signs we can watch for. For more in- Anger is part of the grief process and a normal losing a loved one to suicide takes time, and years, my grandmother played a key role in teacher of that sadness and guilt. Yet what formation on assessing the risk of individuals reaction to suicide. There may have been there is no guarantee that the survivor will be my life. No matter the pain in the world or someone feels in that moment is real—as for suicide, see the sidebar that accompanies signs of distress before the suicide; however, stronger after this, nor that full healing will in our family, she communicated safety and real as it can get. I cannot talk someone out of this article. it is almost impossible to know exactly what be the outcome. value through words, prayer, and presence, feeling regret for what they could have done, a person is thinking unless they are fully which I carry with me today as an adult. but what I can do is listen with care, offer SUFFERING WITH open about those thoughts. One person’s A few years ago I responded as the police This ministry of presence— “being with”—is compassion, and help people understand the On my first day as a police chaplain, I received suffering, sadness, and decisions have re- chaplain to the suicide of a popular, beloved, foundational to my role as a law enforcement dynamics of suicide. My role as a chaplain is my first call out: to deliver the news of a young percussions that reach deeply into the com- 16-year-old African American student. His chaplain. The love and presence of God are not to negate someone’s feelings, but to walk man’s death to his family. He had, tragically, munity. Neither the “what if” nor the “why” mother had committed suicide five years embodied as we spend time with the other with them through their grief. jumped off the roof of the local movie theater’s questions will bring the person back. It is im- before him.2 He was involved in sports and person in their moment of crisis and time of parking structure. My chaplain partner and portant, however, that each person have the service clubs and was loved by both students suffering. Before arriving on the scene of a suicide, I I arrived at the family home to deliver the opportunity to be honest about their feelings and teachers. I led debriefs for teachers, remind myself of my particular lens as a death notification to the mother and father— stemming from the loss of their loved one and students, friends, and family. The memorial A ministry of presence can bring comfort and white, Irish, Christian, female law enforce- but a relative visiting from Hong Kong was the decision that loved one made to die. service drew almost 1,000 people from the express care without words. This sacramen- ment chaplain. The Irish commonly practice the only English speaker in the home. After community. As chaplains responding to the tal presence encompasses physical, emotional, and give space for public and communal grief we shared the news with the relative, she Everyone grieves differently. Grief can be crisis, we worked in partnership with school and spiritual care. It is a revelation of Jesus’ and mourning traditions. There are countless was overcome with shock and grief, bringing shaped by one’s family of origin, experiences, staff, parents, crisis counselors, and others. care and compassion through listening and cultural, ethnic, religious, and geographic confusion to the parents who still didn’t know culture, ethnicity, community, and personali- Three police chaplains, including myself, being with. During the baptism of Jesus, the traditions with regard to loss. It is paramount what was happening. When the parents com- ty. It is important to be sensitive to how others from two different agencies conducted his Father speaks affirmation and value over that I reflect on my own cultural, vocational, prehended the news of their son’s death, they grieve, not comparing their process to one’s memorial. His death provided an opportu- Jesus in Matthew 3:17, saying, “This is my

42 43 Beloved Son, with him I am well pleased.” care for people, they may feel like they those who have lost loved ones. A ministry of presence communicates the could have done something. Going beloved value of God over each person no down that road won’t bring them back. 9. REMIND OTHERS THAT GOD IS WITH THEM. In matter where they are on the faith journey. The person made a decision and took the midst of the loss and pain, we must One of the most important things we can say their own life. The emotions people remember and remind those we are and do to help someone feel safe and secure is feel are real, and we need to create caring for that God is always with us. to remind them of their core identity as God’s healthy space for feelings such as Psalm 32:7 says, “You are my hiding beloved son or daughter. guilt, shame, anger, and sadness to place; you shall preserve me from be expressed. Be aware that some trouble; you shall surround me with BE A VOICE OF HOPE cultures practice within an honor songs of deliverance.” As we walk with individuals through their and shame construct.3 grief, we can speak of God’s hope and future 10. SPEAK OF GOD’S HOPE! Even when hope in their lives as a first step in helping them 5. HELP OTHERS UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT is elusive, it is there and encourages SUICIDE PREVENTION work through pain. A ministry of presence OF THE DEATH IMPRINT. When people others—and us—to see what is ahead. gives space for their pain without promising see or experience something Mary Glenn them that everything will be okay. From my traumatic, the brain takes a ADDITIONAL RESOURCES training in suicide intervention, response, picture of what has been seen Albert Y. Hsu, Grieving a Suicide: A Loved Being aware of the risk factors plating suicide may feel lost, and prevention, here are a few examples of or what can be imagined. That One’s Search for Comfort, Answers, and Hope and indicators for suicide can overwhelmed, hurt, confused, things we can say so that our ministry of death imprint lingers. Smells, help us come alongside those alone, and disconnected. All presence brings hope rather than harm: sights, and sounds might cause C. S. Lewis, A Grief Observed who might consider taking their people have needs for attach- the memory and pain from that own lives. Potential risk factors ment, affirmation, and a sense “I am so sorry that you are going through this. event to be recalled. Be patient New Hope Grief Support Community: include drug or alcohol abuse, that their lives matter. Do I am here with you now; you are not alone.” and sensitive with others when www.newhopegrief.org isolation, family changes, a commit to walk with them and this happens and prepare them family history of suicide, ex- remind them they are not alone. “Together we will find you the help you need.” for this experience. Jerry Sittser, A Grace Disguised: How the Soul periences of loss, neglect, or Grows through Loss abuse, incarceration, and When faced with disappoint- “It won’t always be this way.” 6. WALK WITH OTHERS THROUGH THE MULTI- exposure to trauma. Indicators ment and rejection, feelings FACETED REALITY OF GRIEF. This includes This article is adapted with permission from to watch for in friends or loved may deceive people into “I may not know exactly what you are feeling, helping others assess their process a two-part series previously published on the ones are behavioral changes, believing things are worse but I care about you and I want to help.” in dealing with loss and death and Fuller Youth Institute blog: “In the Aftermath feelings of hopelessness, a than they really are and may engaging in self-care practices. Rec- of Suicide: Helping Communities Heal” and lack of value or purpose—and, convince people that there Below are some guidelines that will help us ommend articles and books on loss “In the Aftermath of Teen Suicide: Working most seriously, an expressed is no hope. Suicide becomes as we walk with others who are grieving the and grief. Toward Prevention,” as well as the post struggle with suicidal thoughts a permanent solution to a loss of their loved one: “Ministry of Presence.” Find all at or development of a suicidal temporary problem. Sometimes 7. AS A CARE PROVIDER, BE AWARE OF AND WALK fulleryouthinstitute.org/articles. plan. If someone asks you to the best thing we can do—and 1. OFFER A MINISTRY OF PRESENCE. We can THROUGH YOUR OWN GRIEF. Care-givers also keep a secret about his or her perhaps the most consistent embody the peace and presence of God need to process their grief and engage in ENDNOTES contemplation of suicide, that support we can offer—is to is a promise you can neither give people an anchor of hope by being present with others, sitting self-care. Walking with others through 1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, WISQARS with people in the midst of their pain, their grief can result in compassion (Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System) make nor keep. as we walk with them through creating safe places for others. fatigue for the care-giver. Leading Causes of Death Reports, 2016, https://webappa. their pain. cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/leadcause.html. Here are some things we can 2. One study revealed that teens under 18 who lost a 2. DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK THE QUESTION, are you 8. BEGIN BUILDING, OR STRENGTHENING, A PART- do to help individuals dealing RESOURCES parent to suicide were three times more likely to commit with depression and suicidal okay? NERSHIP OF LOCAL CARE-GIVERS (e.g., mental suicide than children and teens with living parents. See National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: health professionals, grief counselors) “Children Who Lose a Parent to Suicide More Likely to thoughts: be present, be calm 1-800-273-8255 / 3. IT’S NOT OKAY, BUT IT WON’T ALWAYS BE THIS WAY. who can help after tragedies like Die the Same Way, Study Finds,” ScienceDaily, April 23, and safe, actively listen, ask suicidepreventionlifeline.org Clichés we use with others can bring suicide. Working collaboratively 2010; www.sciencedaily.com. questions, don’t judge, accept American Foundation for Suicide more pain. The fact that this individu- requires ongoing communi- 3. In some cultures, loyalty to community and tradition can their feelings, be compassion- Prevention: www.afsp.org be valued above individual feelings. Anthropologist Ruth ate and understanding, remind al was in pain and took his or her life cation before the crisis. Benedict says that in a guilt culture, you know you are Ask Suicide-Screening Questions changes the loved one’s life forever. Yet This partnership will good or bad by what your conscience feels, but in a them of your care for them, Toolkit: www.nimh.nih.gov/labs-at-nimh/ things won’t always be this way. Even- provide support shame culture, you know you are good or bad by what reassure them that there is asq-toolkit-materials tually loved ones begin to rebuild life and care for your community says and whether it honors or excludes help, and develop a plan with Karen Mason, Preventing Suicide: A after loss. care-giv- you. A guilt culture is driven by the individual, and a them to get help (e.g., connect Handbook for Pastors, Chaplains and shame culture is driven by the community. See J. Fish, ers and them with other resources; Pastoral Counselors (Downers Grove, IL: “Guilt and Shame,” Psychology Today blog post, Septem- InterVarsity Press, 2014). 4. RECOGNIZE GUILT, SHAME, AND ANGER. As we ber 20, 2016; www.psychologytoday.com. go with them to meet with a counselor). A person contem-

44 45 THEOLOGY

고독한 고난의 우월감에서 더불어 고난의 겸손함으로

조은아

조은아는 풀러신학교 코리안센터의 타 글의 목적은 두 가지입니다. 첫째는 고독한 불구하고, 이런 언어상의 이유가 한을 한국인에게 한 그 자체의 개념과 경험은 한국인만 경험하는 특유의 수 있습니다. 즉 종교라는 관점을 벗어나서 바라보면, 삭힘을 자연스럽게 물려주고 무의식적으로 배우게 문화 리더십 조교수이자 선교학 한국 고난을 자랑하려는 경향이 한국 교회 안에 국한된 것이라 단정할 정당한 근거가 될 수는 없습니다. 것이 아닐지라도, 한을 내면적으로 다스리고 삭힘을 많은 한국인의 최종 목표는 사회에서 더 높은 자리로 되는 문화 가운데 살아가면서 한국의 그리스도인들은 어 MA과정과 ThM 과정의 프로그램 이있음을 돌아보도록 도전하는 것이고, 둘째는 필자는 한이 한국인에게 독특한 이유는 한이라는 경험 그 통해 결국 긍정적인 무언가로 승화시키는 것은 한국인의 올라가는 것입니다. 이런 사회적 목표가 교회 안으로 그리스도의 몸에서 떨어져 나와 홀로 고난 받는 것을 책임자입니다. 연구 및 교수 전공 분야 자신의 고난에 다른 이들이 동참할 수 있도록 겸손히 자체가 아니라 한을 품고 내면으로 들어가 복수의 순환 독특함입니다. 스며들어와서, 많은 이들이 자신이 리더의 자리에 있든 자랑으로 여기게 되기 쉽습니다. 고립 가운데 조용히 는 리더십 개발과 변화에 적응하는 지 초청하라고 한국 교회를 권면하는 것입니다. 이 두 가지 고리를 끊어버리기로 결정하는 방식이라고 생각합니다. 그렇게 인식하지 못하든, 영성이라는 위계의 사다리를 더 고난 받는 것을 규범으로 제시하는 문화 속에서, 그리고 도력입니다. 목적을 염두에 두고 저는 구체적으로 1) ‘한’과 ‘삭힘’ 삭힘과 고독한 고난 높이 올라가려 노력합니다. 여기에는 ‘더 영적’인 사람은 고독하게 고난 받는 이들을 더 성숙하고 복되다고 이라는 개념 및 경험이 어우러져 한국 교회가 고난을 그렇다면 어떻게 한국인은 한을 품고 내면으로 들어가며, 이제 삭힘이라는 개념 및 경험이 한국 교회가 고난을 그만큼 더 독립적인 사람이어야 한다는 사고도 결부되어 인정하는 문화 속에서, 한국의 그리스도인들은 은혜의 Eun Ah Cho is assistant professor of 대하는 방식에 어떤 영향을 미쳤는지를 살펴보고, 2) 어떻게 그로 인해 복수의 순환 고리가 끊어지게 되는 대하는 방식에 어떠한 영향을 미쳤는지 생각해보려 있습니다. 공동체를 경험하지 못하게 될 수 있습니다. intercultural leadership and program 한국 교회가 상호 의존적인 삶에 새롭게 헌신할 때 것일까요? 이 질문에 답하려면 한을 더 깊이 이해할 합니다. chair of the Korean-language Master 어떻게 그리스도의 몸 가운데서 은혜를 발견하게 될지에 필요가 있으며, 더 깊은 이해를 위해서는 한국인의 ‘ 우월감에 젖은 고독한 고독에서 떠나 한국 교회는 겸손과 신뢰를 회복해야 합니다. 그리고 of Arts in Intercultural Studies and 대해서 살펴보려 합니다. 삭힘’이라 불리는 개념 및 경험에 비추어 한을 이해하는 어떤 학자들은 삭힘이 일제의 한국 식민화(1910-1945) 존 오스왈드 샌더스는 우월감을 영적인 지도자가 겸손과 신뢰를 통해 고난 가운데서 도움을 외면하지 Master of Theology in Missiology at 것이 필요합니다. 에서 비롯되고 지속되었다고 주장했습니다. 이들의 알아차리기 힘든 위험이라고 설명하면서, 높은 지위로 말아야 합니다. 우리를 “반목과 소외에서 불러내어 Fuller’s Korean Studies Center. Her 한과 삭힘 주장에 따르면 일본이 자국인의 안정감 있고 긍정적인 올라갈 수록 우월감에 빠질 위험 역시 커진다고 말합니다. 구속의 관계로 이끄시는” 예수님의 음성을 듣고 research and teaching concentrate on 아주 간단히 말하면, ‘한’이란 일종의 고난입니다. 한이란 쉽게 말해 ‘삭힘’이란 발효 과정입니다. 가장 적절한 예술 작품과 한국인의 외롭고 슬프고 체념한 듯 보이는 [xi] 필자는 여기에 동의합니다. 그런데 여기에 덧붙여 그 음성에 응답해야 합니다.[xiii] 외롭게 고난 받는 leadership development and adaptive 일반적으로 분노를 동반하는 ‘강렬한 고난을 느끼고 있는 비유를 하나 들자면 한국의 대표적인 반찬인 김치, 즉 예술 작품을 대조하면서, 한국의 예술 작품에서 발견되는 영적인 우월감이 커질 수 있는 상황이 또 하나 있음을 그리스도인이 되라고 우리를 부르신 것이 아님을 leading for change. 상태’를 일컫습니다.[i] 한이란 ‘정당화될 수 없는 고난’ 발효된 배추를 떠올리면 될 것 같습니다. 김치의 맛과 ‘슬픔의 미’를 강조함으로써 한국을 유약한 나라로 지적하고 싶은데, 바로 홀로 고난 받기 위해 지도자가 한국의 그리스도인들은 깨달아야 합니다. 무엇보다 에서 비롯된 ‘해소되지 못한 감정들’을 가리킵니다.[ii] 품질은 얼마나 잘 발효되었는가에 좌우됩니다. 좋은 인식시키며 한국이 일본에 의지할 수밖에 없음을 자신을 공동체로부터 격리시킬 때라는 것입니다. 고독한 그리스도께로 나아가려면 그리스도의 몸의 교제 좀 더 구체적으로, 한이란 ‘심신상에 가해진 관계적, 김치를 담기 위해서는 최소 한 달 이상 독 안에 넣어 땅 밝혔다는 것입니다. 삭힘이라는 것이 이렇게 의도적으로 고난이 죄는 아닙니다. 실제로 하나님은 그분의 백성을 가운데로 나아가지 않을 수 없습니다.[xiv] 우리에게는 사회정치적, 경제적, 문화적 압박과 억압’을 겪은 후에 속에 묻어두어야 합니다. 이 기간 동안 김치의 참 맛이 문화에 주입되어 발생한 것이든, 아니면 고난 가운데 연단하고 변화시키기 위해 고립시키실 때가 있습니다. 우리를 바라보시고, 우리의 소리에 귀 기울이시고, 발생하며 대개 억눌린 채 지속되는 ‘마음 속의 허탈한 우러나게 되는데, 이는 인위적으로 만들어내는 맛이 내면으로 들어가 자신을 성찰하는 한국인의 타고난 우리는 이것을 받아들이고 하나님이 주권적으로 우리를 우리와 함께 고난 받으시는 하나님만 계신 것이 아니라, 고통’으로 정의됩니다.[iii] 오랫동안 한은 한국의 아닙니다. 김치의 매력적인 맛은 침묵 가운데, 그러나 기질에서 발생한 것이든, 삭힘은 한국 그리스도인들이 고립에서 이끌어내실 때까지 그 가운데 머물러야 함께 바라보고 경청하고 고난을 나눌 서로가 있습니다. 역사가 내면화된 것의 한 예로서,[iv] 한국인의 ‘깊은 역동적인 인내와 고립의 시간에서 비롯됩니다. 그리고 고난을 대하는 방식 가운데 드러납니다. 합니다.[xii] 하지만 그럼에도 불구하고, 공동체적으로 우리에게는 우리의 연약함을 도우시는 성령님만 계신 무의식 기저에 내재’되어 있다고 이해되어 왔습니다.[v] 마침내 새로운 무언가로 변화합니다. 이제는 더 이상 날 고난 받기라는 우리의 사명을 간과해서는 안 됩니다. 것이 아니라(롬8:26), 서로의 짐을 져주며(롬8:26) 이렇게 분노와 적대감과 복수심 위에 쌓인 한은 외부를 배추가 아니라, 식탁에 올려질 준비가 끝난 잘 발효된 한국 교회의 핍박의 역사 가운데 뚜렷이 드러나는 그리스도 안에서 그리스도와 함께 고난 받는 것, 그리고 은혜를 얻도록 도와줄(히4:16) 서로가 있습니다. 향한 공격성으로 발전할 수 있는데, 보복 범죄와 같은 김치로 변한 것입니다. 사실은 한국 교회는 십자가에 대한 믿음과 대속을 그리스도의 더 큰 몸 안에서 서로 함께 고난 받는 것은 극단적인 형태로 표출되기도 합니다. 위한 그리스도의 고난만을 강조한 것이 아니라, 우리의 사명입니다. 하나님의 은혜에 참여하라는 부르심을 받았음에도 이와 유사하게 한 사람이 ‘삭힘’의 여정을 가기로 선택할 그리스도와 같이 고난을 경험하는데서 찾게 되는 값진 불구하고 피상적인 관계들 가운데서 힘겹게 살아가는 한에 대한 이상의 정의 및 함의와 관련해, 이런 질문을 때 한은 변화하게 됩니다. ‘내면으로의 퇴보’[viii]가 복 역시 강조했다는 것입니다. 즉 고난을 대하는 한국 고난은 우리의 참 모습을 드러냅니다. 따라서 고난 당할 지도자들을 바라보는 것은 언제나 가슴 아픈 일입니다. 던져봅니다. 한이란 한국인만이 지닌 독특한 개념이고 시작되고, 결국에 가서는 오랜 세월 충족되지 못한 그리스도인의 특징적인 태도는 “한 알의 밀이 땅에 때 다른 이들이 다가와 나를 도울 수 있도록 초청하려면 남들에게는 그리스도 안에서 받는 고난에 대해 경험인가? 많은 이들이 그렇다고 생각하지만, 필자의 바람들로 인해 쌓인 분노와 절망이 ‘수용과 친밀함’ 떨어져 죽지 아니하면 한 알 그대로 있고 죽으면 많은 겸손이 필요합니다. 겸손은 배워야 하는 것인데, 고립된 가르치면서도, 자신은 고립된 채 여전히 해결되지 않은 주장은 아닙니다. 으로 변화하기에 이릅니다.[ix] 타인을 향해 원한을 열매를 맺느니라(요12:24)”는 말씀에 대한 확신 위에 상태에서는 겸손을 배울 수 없습니다. 자만을 극복하는 문제 및 질문과 씨름하고 있을 것 같습니다. 기쁠 때든 품거나 공격성을 표출하는 대신에 삭힘, 즉 ‘심리적 뿌리를 내려왔습니다. 이 때문에 한국 교회의 전반적인 방법은 다른 이들과 연결되는 것입니다. 무엇보다 우리는 고난 가운데 있을 때든 한국 교회 안에서 하나님 백성의 그동안 한은 한국인의 핏속에 흐르는 집단 정서로 발효’가 일어날 때 사람은 새로운 무언가를 경험합니다. 삶과 사역을 보면 많은 사람을 위해 자신을 희생하라는 홀로 서 있을 때 겸손할 수 없습니다. 겸손해지기 위해서, 삶에서 발현되는 관계적 실체들이 회복되어야 합니다. 규정되어 왔습니다.[vi] 심지어 역사적으로 수많은 고통스럽고 쓰라린 유감과 울분은 온데간데없고, 새로운 가르침이 널리 선포되고, 일반적으로 수용되고, 여러 그리고 겸손해지기 위해 필요한 것들을 경험하기 위해서 하나님의 백성은 상호 협력적이고 상호 의존적으로 외침과 압제와 지배 계층의 폭압을 겪은 한국이라는 희망을 경험하기 시작합니다. 삭힘을 통해 과거에 한 다양한 모습으로 신실하게 실천되어 왔습니다. 그 결과 우리는 서로를 필요로 합니다. 겸손해지기 위해서는 서로의 고난에 참여하는 가운데 하나님의 은혜를 나라의 실존 그 자체가 한이라고 이해되기도 했습니다. ( )으로 자리 잡았던 것이 이제는 원( ), 즉 열망과 고난 당하는 이들과 함께 고난 받고 또 타인을 위해 자신의 연약함을 인정하고 남들의 시선 앞에 연약함을 발견하기 위해 “은혜의 보좌 앞에 담대히 나아”가도록 恨 願 [vii] 그래서 필자를 비롯해 많은 한국인은 한의 소망으로 바뀌게 됩니다.[x] 더 나아가 삭힘의 과정을 대신 고난 받으려는 사람은 많이 있지만, 반대로 자신이 드러내는 용기가 필요합니다. 마찬가지로 신뢰 역시 도전 받고 격려받아야 합니다 (히4:16). 모태에서 태어나 한에 의해 길러진다는 말을 듣고 거치면서 사람들은 자신이 다른 이들과 이어져 있음을 고난 가운데 있을 때는 다른 이들이 나의 삶에 들어올 배워야 하는 것인데, 고립된 상태에서는 신뢰를 배울 수 자랍니다. 세계의 다른 여러 나라나 민족들도 마음과 느끼는 능력, 특히 유사한 한의 경험을 지닌 사람들과 수 있도록 삶을 열어놓는 일에는 주저하는 경향이 없습니다. 불신을 극복하는 방법은 다른 이들과의 관계 겸손한 상호 의존의 삶을 향하여 정신에 깊은 상처를 남긴 유사한 억압과 불의의 경험을 깊은 유대감을 느끼는 능력이 더욱 발달하게 됩니다. 한국 그리스도인에게 나타납니다. 역설적이게도 ‘내가 가운데로 들어가는 것입니다. 어쨌거나 홀로 서 있을 성경을 보면 하나님의 백성은 기쁠 때나 고난 받을 지니고 있습니다. 그러나 한은 여러 역동적인 정서들과 결과적으로 삭힘을 통해 적대감과 갈등 대신 동정과 고난 당할 때 다른 이들이 나의 삶으로 들어와 나와 때에는 신뢰가 무엇인지, 신뢰에 필요한 것이 무엇인지를 때나 관계 가운데서 살아갑니다. 구약 성경에서 예를 얽혀있고, 한국어에는 이러한 정서들을 절묘하게 공감이 생겨나고, 그렇게 복수의 순환 고리는 끊어지게 함께 고난 받도록 하는 것’이 한국 교회 안에서는 아주 알 방법이 없습니다. 겸손과 신뢰는 우리를 연결해주고, 찾아보면, 모세와 아론과 미리암과 여호수아는 광야길을 구분하고 설명해주는 풍부한 어휘가 있기 때문에 한을 됩니다. 커다란 도전이 되었습니다. 여기에는 어쩌면 한국 문화 반면에 우월감과 불신은 우리를 갈라놓습니다. 헤쳐가는 동안 함께 기뻐하며 함께 고난 받습니다. 또 다른 나라 말로 번역하는 것은 쉽지 않습니다. 그럼에도 가운데 작동하고 있는 유교적 가치들이 영향을 주었을 가나안을 정복하고 지파 별로 분배하는 과정에서

46 47 THEOLOGY

FROM PROUD SUFFERING ALONE TO HUMBLE SUFFERING WITH

Eun Ah Cho

여호수아와 엘르아살 공동체 가운데서 he purpose of this article is twofold. First, Hence, many Koreans, myself included, grow path of Sakim, Han becomes transformed: 역시 함께 기뻐하며 살라고 부름 it is to challenge the Korean church to up hearing that we are formed in and born “inward retrogression”8 begins, ending in a 함께 고난 받습니다. 받았습니다. 심지어 T examine its tendency to take pride in suf- from the womb of Han. Other nations and place where outrage and frustration accumu- 모르드개와 고난 중에라도 fering alone. Second, it is to encourage it to ethnic groups around the globe have gone lated over many years of unfulfilled yearn- 에스더도 비교적 하나님은 우리가 humbly invite others to partake in its suffer- through similar experiences of oppression ings are transformed into “acceptance and 짧은 시간이었지만 믿음과 소망과 사랑의 ing. For this, I will look at (1) how the concept and injustice that have left many hearts friendship.”9 When Sakim, “psychological 유배지에서 살아가는 관계적인 삶을 살기를 and experience of Han in association with and minds deeply wounded. But there are fermentation,” takes place instead of holding 유다인들의 목숨을 원하십니다. Sakim have impacted the way the Korean difficulties involved in translating Han into a grudge against others or growing outward- 구하기 위해 함께 church responds to suffering, and (2) how the another language, especially those dynamic ly offensive, one experiences something new. 기뻐하며 고난 맺는말 Korean church’s renewed commitment to a emotions with which it is associated, which Painful and bitter regrets and resentments 받습니다. 하나님의 한국 교회는 reciprocal life can help it find grace in the the Korean language so astutely distin- are no longer; renewed hope begins to be 성전을 재건하기 위해 즐거워하는 자들과 body of Christ. guishes and defines with its rich vocabulary. experienced. Through Sakim, what was 학개, 스가랴, 여호수아, 함께 즐거워하고 However, this cannot be a legitimate basis once identified only as Han now turns into 스룹바벨은 사람들 우는 자들과 함께 HAN AND SAKIM for judging Han to be something exclusively Won, desires and wishes.10 Furthermore, in 앞에서나 뒤에서나 함께 울라는 말씀을 신실하게 Most generally speaking, Han is a concept Korean either. Rather than the experience and through the process of Sakim, people 울고 웃으며 동역합니다. 지켜왔습니다 (롬12:15; of suffering. It is a “deep sense of suffering” of Han itself, I would argue that it is the way become better equipped to feel connected to 뿐만 아니라 느헤미야와 고전12:26). 하지만 한과 that is normally accompanied by anger.1 It that Koreans grow inward and choose to put one another, especially to those with similar 에스라 역시 예루살렘 성벽을 삭힘의 영향 아래 많은 is “unresolved emotions” that result from an end to the cycle of revenge with Han that experiences of Han. Consequently, instead 재건하기 위해 함께 기뻐하며 한국 그리스도인들, 특히 “unjustifiable suffering.”2 More specifically, makes it unique to Koreans. of animosity and conflict, compassion and 고난 받습니다. 지도자들은 홀로 고난 받고, it is the “collapsed pain of the heart” that empathy are generated because of Sakim, 우월감에 젖어 그리스도의 emerges and usually remains subdued after How then do Koreans grow inward with Han and now the cycle of revenge is disrupted. 신약 성경 역시 그리스도를 위해 몸으로부터 고립되고, 자신의 “psychosomatic, interpersonal, social politi- and how does it disrupt the cycle of revenge? 함께 기뻐하며 고난 받는 하나님 필요를 애써 부정하고, 연약함을 cal, economic, and cultural oppression and To answer this question, a more in-depth un- Though the concept and experience of Han 백성의 이야기로 가득합니다. 특별히 인정하지 않으려는 데 익숙해져 버린 것 repression.”3 It has long been interpreted as derstanding of Han is required, and for this, itself may not be exclusive to Koreans, the 바울과 그리스도 안의 수많은 형제 자매들 같습니다. 아마 처음에는 다른 이들에게 an example of internalized Korean history,4 it is imperative to see it in light of a Korean way Han is processed inwardly and even- 사이에 형성된 강한 유대감을 주목하게 됩니다. 부담을 끼치지 않으려는 좋은 의도에서 “embedded down at the bottom of the uncon- concept and experience called Sakim. tually transformed into something positive 바울은 홀로 일하거나, 홀로 기뻐하거나, 홀로 시작할 것입니다. 하지만 어느새 이것이 우리의 sciousness”5 of its people. Such Han, built on through Sakim is unique to them. 고난 받지 않았습니다. 바울은 그리스도의 고난에 맹점이 되어버린다면 결국 ‘우월감에 젖은 고독한 anger, hostility, and a desire for revenge, can In short, Sakim is the process of fermenta- 동참하는 가운데 다른 이들을 초청해 자신이 겪는 고난’으로 우리를 이끌 것입니다. 자발적으로 홀로 grow outwardly offensive. One of the most tion. It can be best understood in compari- SAKIM AND SUFFERING ALONE 경험에 참여하도록 했습니다. 바울은 겸손하게 그리고 찬송과 신령한 노래들로 화답(엡5:18-20; 골3:16) 고난 받기를 선택하는 사람들이 모두 자기 중심적이고 extreme examples can come in the form of son to the Korean national side dish called Now, let me discuss how the concept and 신뢰 가운데 그리스도 안의 형제 자매들에게 자신의 하라고도 명령하십니다. 더 나아가 서로 종 노릇 하고(갈 이기적인 의도로 그렇게 하는 것은 아닐 것입니다. retaliatory crime. kimchi, or fermented cabbage. The quality experience of Sakim have impacted the way 고난에 힘을 같이 해달라고 요청했습니다 (롬15:30). 5:13-14), 서로 대접하고(벧전4:9), 서로 짐을 지고(갈 그렇지만 다른 이들의 도움을 수용해야 할 필요를 and taste of kimchi depend on how well it that the Korean church responds to suffering. 6:2), 서로 기도(약5:16)하는 것도 우리가 받은 주님의 지속적으로 거부한다면, 점점 자기 과신과 자기 영광의 It is with these definitions and implications is fermented. For good kimchi to be made, it 우리는 상호 의존의 삶으로 부름을 받은 하나님의 명령입니다. 한편 주님이 우리에게 명령으로 금하신 늪에 빠져들 수 있습니다. of Han that I proceed to ask the following needs to be kept in pits in the ground for at Some scholars have argued that Sakim 백성입니다. 신약 성경에는 ‘서로 서로’가 언급되는 것은 서로 비판하거나(롬14:13), 서로 비방하거나( question: Is Han a uniquely Korean concept least a month. During this time, the authentic resulted from and was sustained by Japan’s 명령이 많습니다. 주님은 우리에게 서로 사랑하고(요 약4:11), 서로 원망하거나(약5:9), 서로 물고 먹거나 필자의 간절한 기도 제목은 점점 더 많은 한국의 and experience? Though many believe it to taste of kimchi is originally brewed, rather colonization of Korea (1910–1945). This came 13:34), 서로 받고(롬15:7), 서로 문안하고(롬16:16; (갈5:14-15), 서로 노엽게 하거나(갈5:25-26), 서로 그리스도인과 교회 지도자들이 홀로 고난 받는 be, I would argue otherwise. than artificially made; the captivating taste in the form of contrasting Japan’s secure and 고전16:20; 고후13:12; 벧전5:14), 서로 복종하고(엡 투기하거나(갈5:25-26), 서로 거짓말(골3:9-10)하는 것을 자랑하는 일에서 떠나, 함께 고난 받기 원하는 of kimchi springs from the time spent in optimistic art with the supposedly lonely, 5:18-21), 서로 용납하고(엡4:1-3; 골3:12-14), 서로 것입니다. 사람들에게 겸손히 자신의 삶을 열어주게 되는 것입니다. Han has been characterized as a collective silent but active patience and isolation. In the sorrowful, and hopeless Korean art. By 용서하고(엡4:31-32), 서로 돌보고(고전12:24-25), 꼭 바라기는 세상 가운데서 세상을 위한 그리스도의 emotion that runs in the blood of Koreans.6 end, something new emerges: it is no longer doing so, Japan emphasized the “beauty of 서로 죄를 고백 (약5:16)하라고 명령하십니다. 뿐만 기쁠 때나 절망적일 때나 우리는 성령의 열매를 맺는 고난에 동참하는 하나님의 백성들이 각자 자신의 It has been understood even as the very raw cabbages, but well-fermented kimchi, sorrow” found in Korean art, thus using it to 아니라 서로 덕을 세우고(롬14:19; 살전5:11), 서로 삶을 살라는 부르심을 받았고, 이러한 삶을 추구하기 연약함을 드러내며 서로 돕고 도움을 받는 가운데 existence of the Korean nation through its ready to be served. infantilize Korea and ensure its dependence 가르치고(골3:16), 서로 권면하고(살전5:11; 히3:12- 위해서는 다른 사람과의 관계를 떠날 수 없습니다. 어떻게 함께 은혜를 발견하게 되는지 한국 교회가 좋은 history of numerous foreign invasions, op- on Japan. Whether it emerged because it 13), 서로 충고하고(롬15:14; 골3:16), 서로 시와 우리는 공동체 가운데서 살라고, 더 정확히는 은혜의 모범을 보여주기를 소망합니다. pression, and the tyranny of ruling classes.7 Similarly, when one decides to choose the was purposefully imposed upon the culture,

48 49 or because it is innate to Koreans to grow Sanders writes that when someone rises in The Korean church needs to restore humility bel work together, informally and formally, be pursued apart from our relationships with 4. J. Kim, “Han ui Heemangcholhakcheok Haeseok [The philosophic interpretation of han],” [Philosophy] inward for self-reflection when suffering, position, the tendency of pride also increas- and trust. In humility and trust, it needs to with both tears and laughter to rebuild the one another. We are called to live in a com- Cholhak 11 78 (2004): 274. Sakim is reflected in the way that Korean es. To this point, I agree. However, I would be helped in its own suffering. It needs to temple of God. Also, we see Nehemiah and munity—more specifically, a community of 5. Park, “Han and Shinmyong,” 211. Christians have responded to suffering. argue that spiritual pride may also increase listen and respond to Jesus, who calls us Ezra rejoice and suffer together to rebuild the grace. God wants us to live a relational life of 6. S. S. H. C. Kim, “Korean Han and the Postcolonial Af- when one isolates himself or herself from the “out of estrangement and into a redemptive walls around Jerusalem. faith, hope, and love even in our sufferings. terlives of ‘The Beauty of Sorrow’,” Korean Studies 41 Deeply marked by its history of persecution, rest of the community in order to suffer alone. relationship.”13 Korean Christians need to (2017), 253. 7. N. D. Suh, “Towards a Theology of Han,” in the Korean church has underlined not only Suffering alone is not a sin. As a matter of realize that we are not called to be solitary The New Testament is also filled with God’s CONCLUSION Minjung Theology: People as the Subjects of History, ed. The Com- the exclusive belief in the cross and the fact, God puts his people in isolation in Christians in suffering. After all, it is impos- people rejoicing and suffering together The Korean church has been faithful in re- mission on Theological Concerns of the Christian Confer- suffering of Christ for redemption but also order to shape and transform them. We are sible to come to Christ without coming into for Christ’s sake. More than anyone else, joicing with those who rejoice and weeping ences of Asia (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1981), 58. the invaluable blessings found in its own to embrace this and stay in isolation until the fellowship of his body.14 We have not only we see strong mutual relationships built with those who weep (Rom 12:15; 1 Cor 12:26). 8. I. Cheon, “Hanui kujoe taehayeo” [The structure of han], Christlike experience of suffering. The char- God sovereignly pulls us out of it.12 Nonethe- God who sees, hears, and suffers with us but between Paul and so many of his brothers However, under the influence of Han and Hyuntaemunhakiron Yonku [Modern Korean Literature Theory] 3 (1993): 2–4. acteristic response of Korean Christians to less, we should not overlook our mission to also have one another. We not only have the and sisters in Christ. Paul did not work Sakim, Korean Christians in general—and 9. Kim, “Han ui Heemangcholhakcheok Haeseok,” 319. suffering has thus been rooted in the convic- communal suffering—suffering together in Spirit who helps us in our weaknesses (Rom alone, rejoice alone, or suffer alone. Instead, leaders in particular—seem to have become 10. R. Bleiker and H. Young-ju, “Korean Sources of Conflict tion that “unless a kernel of wheat falls into and with Christ, and suffering together with 8:26), but also have one another to carry our he invited others to be part of what he was accustomed to suffering alone, isolated Resolution: An Inquiry into the Concept of Han,” in Me- the ground and dies, it lives alone; but if it one another within the larger body of Christ. burdens (Gal 6:2) and help us find grace going through as he participated in Christ’s from the rest of the body of Christ due to diating across Difference: Oceanic and Asian Approach- dies, it brings forth much fruit” (John 12:24). (Heb 5:16). suffering. Humbly and trustfully, Paul urged their pride, reluctance to acknowledge their es to Conflict Resolution, ed. M. Brigg and R. Bleiker (Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2011), 261. Hence, sacrificing oneself for the sake of Suffering reveals who we really are. Inviting his brothers and sisters in Christ to join him need, and lack of vulnerability. This may 11. J. O. Sanders, Spiritual Leadership: Principles of Excel- many has been widely preached, commonly others to come and help us when we suffer, It is always heartbreaking to see leaders, in his struggles (Rom 15:30). begin with good intentions of not wanting lence for Every Believer (Chicago: Moody Publishers, accepted, and faithfully practiced in many therefore, requires humility. Humility needs though called to share God’s grace, manage to burden others. However, it can grow to 2007), 155. different dimensions of life and ministry to be learned and it cannot be learned in iso- to live a life in superficial relationships. They We are God’s people called to a life of be a blind spot that eventually leads us to 12. S. Trebesch, Isolation: A Place of Transformation in the within the Korean church as a whole. As lation. For one to overcome hubris, he or she may teach others about suffering in Christ reciprocity. There are many “one another” “proud suffering alone.” Voluntarily choosing Life of a Leader (Altadena, CA: Barnabas Publishers, 1997). a result, though many are willing to suffer needs to be connected to others. After all, while dealing with unresolved questions commands found in the New Testament. We to suffer alone may not necessarily begin 13. R. S. Anderson, The Soul of Ministry: Forming Leaders with those who suffer and even suffer for one cannot be humble when standing alone. and issues on their own in isolation. The are commanded to love (John 13:34), receive with an intention to become self-centered or for God’s People (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, others, Korean Christians tend to be hesitant We need one another to be humble and ex- relational realities of the life of the people of (Rom 15:7), greet (Rom 16:16; 1 Cor 16:20; 2 self-seeking. Nonetheless, if one continues 1997), 95. to open their lives for others to come in when perience what it takes. To be humble takes God should be restored within the Korean Cor 13:12; 1 Pet 5:14), submit to (Eph 5:18–21), to fail to concede the need to be helped, one 14. Ibid., 96. they themselves are stricken. Somewhat courage, courage to become vulnerable and church in both seasons of joy and suffering. forbear (Eph 4:1–3; Col 3:12–14), forgive (Eph can grow self-confident and self-glorifying. ironically, “letting others come into my be seen as vulnerable. Similarly, trust needs They should be challenged and supported 4:31–32), care for (1 Cor 12:24–25), and confess life and suffer with me when I suffer” has to be learned and it cannot be learned in iso- to “approach the throne of grace with con- our sins to (Jas 5:16) one another. We are It is my earnest prayer that more and more become a great challenge within the Korean lation. For one to overcome distrust, he or she fidence” so that they may find grace as they also called to build up (Rom 14:19; 1 Thess Korean Christians and church leaders will church. This may be related to a function needs to be in relationships. After all, one mutually and interdependently participate 5:11), teach (Col 3:16), exhort (1 Thess 5:11; move from taking pride in suffering alone of Confucian values working in Korean cannot know what trust is and what it takes in one another’s sufferings (Heb 5:16). Heb 3:12–13), admonish (Rom 15:14; Col 3:16), toward humbly allowing others to suffer culture. Specifically, when stepping outside when standing alone. Humility and trust and speak to one another in psalms, hymns, with them. It is my sincere hope that the the framework of religion, the ultimate goal connect, whereas pride and distrust separate. TOWARDS A LIFE OF RECIPROCITY IN HUMILITY and spiritual songs (Eph 5:18–20; Col 3:16). Korean church model how God’s people in of many Koreans is to climb up the social In Scripture, we see the people of God in Further, we are commanded to be servants suffering can help and be helped in vulner- hierarchy. This goal is carried over into the Set in a culture where Sakim is naturally relationships in both times of joy and suffer- (Gal 5:13–14) and hospitable (1 Pet 4:7) to one ability to find grace as they participate in Korean church, and many—both in leader- transmitted and unconsciously learned, ing. In the Old Testament, for instance, we another, bear one another’s burdens (Gal 6:2), Christ’s suffering in and for the world. ship positions and those without such rec- Korean Christians can end up taking pride see Moses, Aaron, Miriam, and Joshua both and pray for one another (Jas 5:16). Also, we ognition—strive to climb the hierarchical in suffering alone, apart from the body of rejoice and suffer together in their attempts are commanded not to judge (Rom 14:13), ENDNOTES ladder of spirituality. This involves the idea Christ. Brought up in a culture where silent to survive in the desert. Joshua and Eleazar speak evil of (Jas 4:11), murmur against (Jas 1. J. S. Park, “Han and Shinmyong: The Suffering Soul and that being “more spiritual” means that one suffering in isolation is presented as a norm, also rejoice and suffer together as they 5:9), bite and devour (Gal 5:14–15), provoke Liberating Life of the Oppressed People,” Korea Journal ought to be more independent. and where those who suffer alone are per- conquer the land and distribute it among (Gal 5:25–26), envy (Gal 5:25–26), or lie to (Col of Systematic Theology 3 (1999): 195. ceived as more mature and blessed, Korean the tribes. Though for a relatively short 3:9–10) one another. 2. Ibid., 197, 200–202. FROM SUFFERING ALONE IN PRIDE Christians may fail to enter into a commu- time, Mordecai and Esther also rejoice and 3. A. S. Park, The Wounded Heart of God: The Asian Having indicated pride as one of the subtle nity of grace. suffer together to preserve the Jewish exiles. Both in joy and despair, we are called to live Concept of Han and the Christian Doctrine of Sin (Nash- ville: Abingdon, 1993), 17. perils of spiritual leadership, John Oswald Haggai, Zechariah, Joshua, and Zerubba- a life of the fruit of the Spirit, which cannot

50 51

THEOLOGY

THE HOLY, EXQUISITE MUTUALITY OF SHARING SUFFERING AND JOY WITH OTHERS

Jude Tiersma Watson with Chris Albisurez

Jude Tiersma Watson has lived and worked in the MacArthur Park neigh- first moved into a vibrant yet struggling the deep sense of bonding and belonging we CHRIS: Right. There's shame. You JUDE: Meeting Chris led to a pretty things that I recall him saying is that borhood of central Los Angeles for 30 immigrant neighborhood in central Los would come to share, the exquisite mutual- know when pain happens to you big faith crisis. At the beginning, he he was an alcoholic at the time. We years as a member of InnerChange, a IAngeles in 1988, responding to an invita- ity1 of the relationships among all of us, in- there’s a certain amount of shame and was really grateful to God because were hungry that evening when the Christian Order Among the Poor. The tion to join God in a forgotten corner of LA. cluding my husband, John. Chris and Roxy like nobody cares. I’d carried that for God rescued him, but I would listen earthquake happened in 1976, and neighborhood and ministry have The neighborhood was then only known, if now have three beautiful children that call almost 20 years in my life and nobody to Chris and go home and wrestle. I both of my brothers died hungry. changed over the years, but one thing at all, through media images of gangs, drugs, me Oma. But at that time, it felt like a great had ever said, “Let’s talk about this.” learned to pray in much deeper ways remains: God’s desire for us to live and violence. risk into a deep unknown, with no certain- than I ever had. I grew up in an im- I began to wonder, “Where is God in lives of worship and joy as we share ty where the journey would lead. Recently JUDE: I felt really honored that migrant family, and we had our own all of this?” life with our neighbors. She is an as- The sights, sounds, and smells of this new Chris and I reflected back on those years:2 someone would share their story issues as a Dutch immigrant family. sociate professor of urban mission in place—taco trucks, vendors selling elote, or with me. It also felt like a risk. Chris But things had gone well for me in And so that threw me off, and I got the School of Intercultural Studies. A corn on the cob, and a courtyard where kids CHRIS: I think what I found in Jude started getting in touch with his life for the most part. I had a fair bit angry at God. I was just like, “Where key interest for her is the impact of played together while moms laughed and was a person that I can trust. She anger, completely understandable of privilege in my life that I recognize were you when my grandmother tried the urban context on our spiritual chatted—drew me in. It was only as I lived would just silently sit or cry with me. anger. Rage, really, about the things now. to kill me?” She was a Christian for formation. here longer and began to put down roots When I talked, I didn’t really have a that happened to him. I remember many years and I was confused. . . . I that the stories of struggle and pain began name for the trauma. It was sexual asking God, “Did I meet Chris just so I had more of a resurrection theology, lost my sense of love that day ’cause to emerge—stories of personal and family abuse, physical abuse, being inde- I could visit him in prison for the rest celebrating the new life that flows it was just very traumatic. I’m not pain, but also of the need to flee homelands pendent since I was five when I lost of his life?” I was very aware that he from the Resurrection, and less about going to get into the details, but it was where violence threatened the lives of my two younger brothers—my best could have been killed on the streets, Holy Week and the suffering of Good very, very hard. And so I remember children and adults. I had not known what friends—in an earthquake. or he could have done something to Friday. I had to grow deeper in un- that I went and questioned a lot of to expect, and was surprised by my neigh- someone and regretted it his whole derstanding the birth of Jesus, that things about God and the goodness bors’ gracious welcome and, over time, the When I met Jude, there was a big war life. He had that much rage. Jesus walked with us, he suffered for of the Cross and the Resurrection, deep ways my own life and faith would be between gangs and graffiti writers on us, and then comes the power of the everything. shaken and transformed through sharing the streets of LA; a lot of people were It was never a question for me, but an Resurrection. That entire narrative life together in our neighborhood. dying. So it was just a critical time for awareness l lived with. . . . Now we became much more a part of my life You’re given this faith, like an egg, me to either leave or die on the streets. can look back on those years; we talk after I moved into the neighborhood. and it crumbles in the hardship of A few years into this journey, Roxana, one of And I think that I found someone that about the good times and how we have life. You’re brought up to think one the girls I was mentoring and who had her I could trust and that would listen to the kids, but at that time it was hard. CHRIS: At the beginning, it was like way, and then it cracks. And what do own life of struggle, introduced me to Chris me. . . I remember she would say, “Do I just got to marry God and I went you have left? So you are in a crisis. Albisurez. Recently arrived from Central you mind if I pray for you?” at the CHRIS: It was; I remember talking into the honeymoon period. But But you know, John and Jude were Chris Albisurez immigrated to the America, having fled north when he feared end, and it was kind of interesting about that and I remember that I then I remember picking up a news patient with me, and I asked John so United States from Guatemala as a for his life, Chris was lost, lonely, and des- and weird for me. I never had that almost killed my father around that magazine and reading about this many questions and he just said, “I teenager. The deep pain in his life perate. He wandered the streets of LA on happen in my life. But I think I let it time. . . . because I felt that a lot of the young girl. I think she was three or don't have the answers for that.” drew him towards skating and graffiti a skateboard, writing his name on walls happen and I didn't realize until now pain that I was carrying or the trauma four years old, in New York, and ap- writing on the streets of Los Angeles. to find relief from the unrelenting pain in that it was God at work at that time that I lived was caused by the absence parently her mother had put her in a It was a struggle and it’s still a His reconciliation with God has led his life. “Writing on walls was my aspirin,” in my life. of my father and mom in my life. closet and she died from starvation. struggle of faith, but I do believe that him on a long healing journey and he he said. Chris began sharing his life with And the article was very explicit on God is good. God is a merciful God, longs for others to find that same me. Every week he had more stories of pain JUDE: One of the things that was FAITH IN THE MIDST OF PAIN the things that she went through. I and he is in the suffering. restoration. He believes that art can and trauma that had never been voiced. We striking was how your posture Listening to Chris’s stories of suffering and read it, and all of a sudden it just hit be a key element in the healing of spent hours together; Chris talked while I actually changed. I remember entering into those painful places with him me. A lot of that stuff happened to me I came to see that suffering, our own and trauma. He is married to Roxy and listened prayerfully, holding his story, the meeting with you at a Carl’s Jr. You caused deep wrestling in my own life, as when I was a kid. There were times others’, is the cost of love. I had moved into together they have three beautiful ground made holy because God was present were waiting for me, and when I got well as in his life. Chris and I reflected on where we didn't eat for days. I was a neighborhood as a neighbor; we are called children: Lance, Emmanuel, and Jude with us and between us in the sharing. there you were sitting erect. I had the impact of suffering on our faith: talking to my father about 10 years to love our neighbors. I came to see that the Margarita. never seen you sit like that before. ago; I asked him how he felt about call to love your neighbor is also a call to We could not have imagined 25 years ago my brothers’ passing and one of the suffer together. When we love deeply, we

54 55 will suffer deeply as well. And the joys that mation in the Magnificat spoke to me and pain. Being open to what I carried with me impact on my Dutch American come are also deeper. became my example. from my own history and culture also chal- family has been profound. They’ve lenged my Messiah-complex thinking.3 Our been a part of our family, and then Suffering draws us closer to God. This is the My desperation led me to a spiritual theology may not allow us to say we are the John and I have been a part of their mystery of Philippians 3:10, the fellowship director. Sister Ann guided me toward prac- Messiah, but in ministry, we can act as if family. So, it’s gone beyond individu- of sharing in the suffering of Jesus. tices that helped me live in the posture of we think we are. Although at times we may al relationship and into our networks. Mary, practices that sustained and grew my mediate God’s love to people through our This fellowship of sharing in suffering goes trust. I learned new rhythms that formed presence, we have to be clear that we are not CHRIS: Beyond ministry, beyond beyond personal tragedy. When we allow me more deeply—that gave me eyes to see the saviors. And it goes the other way, too: friendship; it’s turned into a family ourselves to walk with others, this gives a God’s presence around me and the ability God’s presence is mediated to us through matter. My final word is an image face to larger systemic injustices that exist to lament the sorrows I encountered. These those in our ministry context. This is the that encourages me, from Isaiah: God everywhere in our world. practices became my lifeline. We in Inner- mutuality of life and ministry. brings beauty from ashes. God has Change were also deepening in our spiri- taken the ashes of my life and brought DEVELOPING PERSONAL AND COMMUNAL PRACTICES tual practices at this time, so this was a Father Gregory Boyle refers to this as his healing and joy and created beauty. FOR A LIVED THEOLOGY communal journey of going deeper with movement from “savior” to “savor.”4 We This is the image I hold in my heart. While I was drowning in my struggle to God in the midst of ministry. might come into ministry with some il- see God and trust God’s goodness, several lusions of being a savior, but we learn to ENDNOTES things sustained me. First was the commu- Through developing deeper formation savor the relationships, the sharing of life 1. This phrase is borrowed from Father Gregory Boyle in nity I was in, both my InnerChange team practices, I came to see that understand- together. Exquisite mutuality comes from Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship (New and my neighbors. I was not alone but on ing faith and suffering “out there” was our own willingness not only to share the York: Simon and Schuster, 2017), 171. a journey with others. My team was grate- not enough. I began to see my need for in- pain of others, but also to enter the vulner- 2. This conversation is made up of selected sections from fully a praying team, and we sought God creased self-awareness. What did I bring ability of our own pain being exposed. We a recorded interview with Chris Albisurez, August 18, together with and for our neighborhood. to this context? How did my own culture do not suffer alone but as part of the diverse 2018. 3. J. Tiersma, “What Does It Mean to Be Incarnational We shared life and meals together. My and social location impact what I saw, how beauty of the body of Christ. When We Are Not the Messiah?” in God So Loves the neighbors demonstrated for me that joy and I interpreted reality, how I felt and acted? City: Seeking a Theology for Urban Mission, ed. C. Van sorrow mingle together in this world. Life I had moved to a social location very dif- JUDE: We’ve been talking about the suf- Engen and J. Tiersma (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, is a struggle, but life is also to be celebrated, ferent from my upbringing, but what did I fering and the hardships, but a theme 2007), 7–25. with joys shared and remembered together. bring with me? What cultural expectations in Chris’s and my relationship from 4. “Greg Boyle: Save the World or Savor It,” Faith and Lead- ership, February 2016, faithandleadership.com. about life and faith did I carry? When John the beginning has been joy. It’s not During this season, my comfort also came and I married in 1995, his differing lens as like we were looking for that to be the from the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus. an African American continued to help theme. Joy happens when you walk I had begun to ponder the life of Mary and me see my blind spots, reflecting to me my together and you aren’t alone, being meditate on the Magnificat when the girls I middle-class expectations for control over able to share in life together, the joys was mentoring started asking if I believed my life. and the sorrows. in Mary. Before long I began to identify with Mary, who guarded many things in her Becoming more aware of who I was and my CHRIS: And the sorrows. heart, and whose heart had been pierced. own need for healing, I was able to better Mary’s receptive posture and faith procla- separate the trauma of others from my own JUDE: Chris’s life and Chris and Roxy’s

56 57 ¿DOLORISMO U ORTOPATOS? DOLORISMO OR ORTHOPATHOS? TEOLOGÍAS LATINOAMERICANAS DEL SUFRIMIENTO LATIN AMERICAN THEOLOGIES OF SUFFERING Alexia Salvatierra Alexia Salvatierra

Tengo un vívido recuerdo de mi infancia, hay contribuyen a que las iglesias se hagan la vista también se ve decidido y orgulloso, vistiendo I have a vivid childhood memory of devotional Hispanic Pentecostals do commonly show to the images of dolorismo that I encountered velas devocionales, que se podían comprar en gorda al sufrimiento de sus miembros y vecinos. sus ropas indígenas o la ropa típica de los cam- candles, available for purchase at the grocery God’s love in small acts of personal charity as a child and which are still pervasive in many la tienda de comestibles de mi vecindario de pesinos. Mientras que las cruces comunican el store in my Los Angeles neighborhood, adorned and hospitality, particularly in caring for the areas of Hispanic life and spirituality. Los Ángeles, adornadas con imágenes verdader- Los/las pentecostales hispanos suelen mostrar sufrimiento, ese sufrimiento está implícitamente with truly gory pictures of the suffering of Christ. needs of other church members. According to amente sangrientas del sufrimiento de Cristo. el amor de Dios en pequeños actos de caridad relacionado con el movimiento de la gente por In one common image, he stares upward while a 2007 report from Pew Research Center, 90 We can know God through suffering if in that En una imagen común, él mira hacia arriba personal y hospitalidad, particularmente en el la justicia, mientras que los colores brillantes blood runs down his face. Another shows a percent of Hispanics in the US attend churches painful experience we see God act to heal and mientras la sangre corre por su rostro. Otra cuidado de las necesidades de otros miembros exudan esperanza y alegría. Estas imágenes fairly realistic anatomical heart bleeding from that provide food and clothing to members; a liberate. The word “salvation” has connotations muestra un sangrado anatómico del corazón de la iglesia. Según un informe de 2007 del contrastan marcadamente con las imágenes de various orifices. Those images are connected in startling 82 percent help members with their of both healing and liberation, without partic- bastante realista con varios orificios. Esas Pew Research Center, el 90 por ciento de los dolorismo que encontré cuando era niña y que my memory to a Good Friday parade in Mexico financial problems.3 However, compassion- ular stress on one at the expense of the other. imágenes están conectadas en mi memoria a hispanos en los EE. UU. asisten a iglesias que aún están generalizadas en muchas áreas de la City, with people practicing self-flagellation ate acts of care for those who are suffering The lived experience of suffering can act as a un desfile de Viernes Santo en la Ciudad de proveen alimentos y ropa a sus miembros; un vida y espiritualidad hispanas. (whipping themselves in imitation of Christ’s do not automatically lead to a theological divine provocation to resist evil and to embody México, con personas que practican la autofla- sorprendente 82 por ciento ayuda a los/as suffering). The prevalence of these images is understanding that could enable believers to the Holy Spirit’s movement toward abundant gelación (imitando el sufrimiento de Cristo). La miembros con sus problemas financieros.3 Sin Podemos conocer a Dios a través del sufrimien- rooted in dolorismo, a theological perspective discern between redemptive and nonredemp- life for all. With that perspective, the church prevalencia de estas imágenes está arraigada en embargo, los actos compasivos de atención para to si en esa dolorosa experiencia vemos a Dios common in Latin America. The Latin American tive suffering, nor equip them to challenge and will not be tempted to associate suffering with el dolorismo, una perspectiva teológica común aquellos que sufren no conducen automática- actuar para sanar y liberar. La palabra “salvación” theologian Nancy Bedford defines dolorismo as transform systems that perpetuate suffering. a lack of God’s favor, or understand it as a en América Latina. La teóloga latinoamericana mente a una comprensión teológica que podría tiene connotaciones de curación y liberación, sin “the glorification of suffering for its own sake.”1 cross to be borne patiently, but will rather see Nancy Bedford define al dolorismo como “la permitir a los creyentes discernir entre el su- un énfasis particular en una a expensas de la It is not surprising when Latin Americans are Elizabeth Conde-Frazier suggests another it as a context in which the “works of God may glorificación del sufrimiento por sí misma”.1 frimiento redentor y el no redentor, ni equipar- otra. La experiencia vivida de sufrimiento puede attracted to dolorismo. Since the conquest, theological approach to these experiences of be displayed” (John 9:3). As Jesus used the op- No es sorprendente que los latinoamericanos los para desafiar y transformar sistemas que actuar como una iniciativa divina para resistir Latin America has suffered from social and unjust suffering. She draws from the insights portunity of suffering to display God’s powerful se sientan atraídos por el dolorismo. Desde la perpetúan el sufrimiento. el mal y encarnar el movimiento del Espíritu economic structures that cause extreme of Samuel Solivan to suggest “orthopathos” as love, so Latin American churches are using the conquista, América Latina ha sufrido estructu- Santo hacia una vida abundante para todos. Con poverty in large percentages of the popula- a theological approach to suffering, recogniz- reality of unjust suffering as an opportunity for ras sociales y económicas que causan pobreza Elizabeth Conde-Frazier sugiere otro enfoque esa perspectiva, la iglesia no se verá tentada tion. This level of social injustice has spawned ing the presence of God the liberator in the the mision integral (holistic mission) movement extrema en grandes porcentajes de la población. teológico a estas experiencias de sufrimiento a asociar el sufrimiento con la falta del favor many forms of terrible violence, practiced with opportunity to combat the unjust causes of in Latin America—to demonstrate God’s com- Este nivel de injusticia social ha generado injusto. Ella se inspira en las ideas de Samuel de Dios, ni a entenderlo como una cruz que impunity. Trying to make sense of this experi- suffering. “In the early Christian tradition, the mitment to the shalom of our communities and muchas formas de terrible violencia, practica- Solivan para sugerir “ortopatos” como un debe llevarse con paciencia, sino que lo verá ence spiritually can easily lead to dolorismo. understanding of pathos was self-empowering, to justice, which rolls down like a mighty river das con impunidad. Tratar de dar sentido a esta enfoque teológico del sufrimiento, reconoci- como un contexto en el que “las obras de Dios The popular doctrine of dolorismo has also particularly as presented in the climax of the into our common life. experiencia espiritualmente puede fácilmente endo la presencia del Dios liberador como la pueden mostrarse” (Juan 9: 3). Tal como Jesús been used to support machismo and masoquis- Christian message where God is the one who conducir al dolorismo. La doctrina popular del oportunidad de combatir las causas injustas del aprovechó la oportunidad del sufrimiento para mo, encouraging women to bear suffering like loves to the point of suffering. The term ortho- ENDNOTES dolorismo también se ha utilizado para apoyar sufrimiento. “En la tradición cristiana primitiva, mostrar el poderoso amor de Dios, las iglesias the popular image of Mary—even in the face pathos makes the distinction between suffering 1. N. Bedford, “La Misión en el Sufrimiento y Ante el el machismo y el masoquismo, alentando a la comprensión del pathos era de auto-empod- latinoamericanas están utilizando la realidad of domestic violence. While this has helped that results in self-alienation and suffering that Sufrimiento,” in Bases Bíblicas de la Misión: Perspectivas las mujeres a soportar el sufrimiento como la eramiento, particularmente como se presenta en del sufrimiento injusto como una oportunidad various women in my life to suffer with dignity, becomes a source for liberation and social Latinoamericanas, ed. C. Rene Padilla (Buenos Aires: Nueva imagen popular de María, incluso frente a la el clímax del mensaje cristiano donde Dios es para el movimiento de misión integral (misión it has not equipped them to change the circum- transformation.”4 Creacion; Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1998), 385. violencia doméstica. Si bien esto ha ayudado a el que ama hasta el punto de sufrir. El término holística) en América Latina—para demostrar el stances that cause their suffering. 2. Ibid. varias mujeres en mi vida a sufrir con dignidad, ortopatos hace distinción entre el sufrimiento compromiso de Dios con el shalom de nuestras While orthopathos may be a relatively new term 3. “Changing Faiths: Latinos and the Transformation of no las ha equipado para cambiar las circunstan- que resulta en auto-alienación y el sufrimiento comunidades y la justicia que desciende como Pentecostalism in Latin America has been theologically, it describes a lived spirituality American Religion,” Pew Research Center, April 2007, www. cias que causan su sufrimiento. que se convierte en una fuente de liberación y un río poderoso en nuestra vida común. equally culpable in reinforcing a theologi- that continues to thrive in certain places in pewforum.org. 4 transformación social”. cal basis for submission to unjust violence. Latin America as well as in Latinx communi- 4. E. Conde-Frazier, Hispanic Bible Institutes: A Community El pentecostalismo en América Latina ha sido ig- Alexia Salvatierra es pastora luterana con más de 40 Although Pentecostal churches have not ties in the United States. During the civil war of Theological Construction (Scranton, PA: University of ualmente culpable de reforzar una base teológica Si bien el ortopatos pueden ser un término años de experiencia en el ministerio congregacional y embraced the Catholic forms of dolorismo, in El Salvador, Salvadoran folk artists began Scranton Press, 2004), 122. para la sumisión a la violencia injusta. Aunque teológico relativamente nuevo, este describe comunitario tanto en inglés como en español. Ella es they have often encouraged members to focus to produce brightly painted crosses in which las iglesias pentecostales no han abrazado una espiritualidad vivida que continúa pros- profesora afiliada del Centro Latino de Fuller y de la on heaven and transcend the world rather Christ is accompanied by people from the Alexia Salvatierra is a Lutheran pastor with over 40 las formas católicas de dolor, a menudo han perando en ciertos lugares de América Latina Escuela de Estudios Interculturales, y también se ha than seeing God as an active agent of shalom. villages. In many of these artworks, instead years of experience in congregational and community alentado a los miembros a enfocarse en el y en las comunidades latinas en los Estados desempeñado como profesora adjunta de muchas Nancy Bedford uses the term “teopraxis of being in obvious and bloody agony, Jesus ministry in both English and Spanish. An affiliate cielo y trascender al mundo en lugar de ver a Unidos. Durante la guerra civil en El Salvador, otras instituciones. analgesia” to describe the view that faith gives is in a position that makes it hard to tell if professor for Fuller’s Centro Latino and School of Dios como un agente activo de shalom. Nancy los artistas folklóricos salvadoreños comenzaron us the capacity to transcend suffering without he is crucified, dancing, or proclaiming with Intercultural Studies, she has also served as adjunct Bedford usa el término analgesia de teopraxis a producir cruces pintadas de colores brillantes requiring that we change the broader conditions outstretched arms. The Salvadoran people faculty for many other institutions. para describir la opinión de que la fe nos da en las que Cristo está acompañado por personas that create suffering.2 She articulates that a in the paintings also look resolute and proud, la capacidad de trascender el sufrimiento de las aldeas. En muchas de estas obras de charismatic theology of glory, which ignores the wearing their indigenous garments or typical sin requerir que cambiemos las condiciones arte, en lugar de estar en una agonía obvia y suffering Christ, and a Catholic theology that peasant’s clothing. While the crosses com- generales que crean el sufrimiento.2 Ella expresa sangrienta, Jesús está en una posición que hace practically ignores the resurrected Christ, both municate suffering, that suffering is implicitly que una teología carismática de la gloria, que que sea difícil saber si está crucificado, bailando contribute to churches turning a blind eye to connected with the movement of the people ignora al Cristo sufriente, y una teología católica o proclamando con los brazos extendidos. El the suffering of their members and neighbors. for justice, while the bright colors exude hope que prácticamente ignora al Cristo resucitado, pueblo salvadoreño que aparece en las pinturas and joy. These images stand in stark contrast

58 59 THEOLOGY

THE CURSES OF GOD’S PEOPLE: DYNAMICS OF A GENUINE COVENANTAL INTERACTION

Daniel D. Lee

Daniel D. Lee is assistant provost for After the Lord had spoken these words to limited, and we need to be humble and not name: Israel. “God-wrestler.” Why would God, meaning that our God revealed in Christ lationship? According to Job’s friends, maybe. Fuller’s Center for Asian American Job, he said to Eliphaz from Teman, “I’m imitate Job in speaking against God. Right? God name God’s own people, “the ones who is a God of humanity. “In Jesus Christ there is “God is everything, and we are nothing, mere Theology and Ministry and assistant angry at you and your two friends because wrestle or struggle with God?” Why not “the no isolation of humanity from God and of God worms” (Job 25:6). This view is quite popular. professor of theology and Asian you haven’t spoken about me correctly as If this is the conclusion to be drawn, the above obedient ones” or “God-followers”? Through- from humanity,” he said, and this is a result of God is always right, and we are always wrong. American ministry. Since 2010, he did my servant Job. So now, take seven verses from the book’s epilogue identifying out the history of God’s people, those closest to God’s free and sovereign decision.3 As Chris- While true in a sense, this is not the kind has been the key force behind the bulls and seven rams, go to my servant Job, Job, rather than Job’s friends, as speaking cor- God talked back to God like they were talking tians, we do not know a God of theism, an of faith God is after. We live as though the center and the Asian American Initia- and prepare an entirely burned offering rectly about God are confusing. To make sure to a friend: sometimes pleading, sometimes abstract deity beyond human interaction, but greatest commandment is to “serve the Lord tive before that, helping to develop for yourselves. Job my servant will pray that we do not miss this point, it is repeated bargaining, sometimes accusing and pro- rather the covenantal God who has elected with all your heart and with all your soul many of Fuller’s Asian American for you, and I will act favorably by not twice in two verses. Even with the divine testing. This is the kind of relationship that to be with humanity from all eternity, a God and with all your mind and with all your courses and programs. Ordained in making fools of you because you didn’t rebuke, Job was correct, and Job’s friends God wants. God desires the kind of people of humanity. strength,” to “obey the Lord,” or to “worship the Korean Presbyterian Church speak correctly, as did my servant Job.” were wrong. We know that Job’s friends were who wrestle and come near enough to get in the Lord.” However, that is not the greatest Abroad (KPCA), he has served in (Job 42:7-8) terrible comforters, engaging in theological God’s face, even while knowing that God is Exploring this idea of a “genuine covenant commandment. To love the Lord is not less pastoral roles in both New Jersey and discussion with Job instead of mourning with the Almighty. interaction” in the Psalms, Old Testament than obedience or service, but rather more. Southern California. Lee is author of ow exactly did Job speak correctly about him. But that is not the critique God directs scholar Walter Brueggemann argues that in We are called not just to action, but to desire, the book Double Particularity: Karl God? Job does not stop at “the Lord gave, at them. God’s problem with them is that they A GENUINE COVENANT INTERACTION the absence of lament and protest like Job’s, enjoyment, and delight. Love is actually above Barth, Contextuality, and Asian H and the Lord has taken away; blessed be misrepresented God; God is not how they de- In the history of doctrine, we see how a pious God is only surrounded by “yes-men and and beyond service, worship, obedience, and American Theology. the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21) after his cata- scribed him to be. The book of Job has been theology that radically centers God, while women” who end up living a faith of “denial, submission. These will not do for God. God strophic misfortunes. While Christians often used for theodicy, but this epilogue and God’s true and right, can be misconstrued and lead cover-up, and pretense.”4 If God is everything wants it all; God wants love. reference and even sing about this almost comments about Job and his friends point in to unintended consequences. Swiss reformed and we are nothing, we can only become a superhuman act of worshipful surrender a different direction. What is the book of Job theologian Karl Barth, in his critique and “false self” with a “bad faith that is based in Danish philosopher and theologian Søren (consider the popular worship song “Blessed really about? break from the liberal theology of his profes- fear and guilt and lived out as resentful, or Kierkegaard muses upon the lengths to Be Your Name”), it simply is not how the story sors, zoomed in on the problem of anthropo- the self-deceptive works of righteousness.”5 which God goes for this genuine covenant actually goes. Job literally spends the next 34 Job addresses himself to an Almighty God centrism.1 The liberal theology of his time Basically, we begin to lie to ourselves and ex- interaction in the Incarnation.6 Using the chapters accusing God of injustice, seeking with whom he can argue, be angry, and be dis- deceived itself into thinking that we can ternally profess one thing while ignoring the parable of a king who falls in love with a to take God to court, and calling for someone appointed. Job’s Lord is a covenantal God, a speak of God simply by speaking of humanity turmoil and conflict within. Speaking “Chris- humble maiden, Kierkegaard tells a story of to vindicate him against God and his friends, God who both condescends to us and raises us in a loud voice. This theological tradition tianese,” we overspiritualize and point to the a God who actually wants love and not just who try to talk some sense into him (Job 3–37). up so that together we can have a covenantal emphasized humanity and its experience at need to only trust and obey, to rejoice and be the worshipful adoration that is the natural Job’s friends reason with him that the Lord is relationship. On the other hand, Job’s friends the expense of God.2 To speak of it in Jewish thankful in all things. To cover up whatever response to the infinite distinction between the almighty, all-wise, all-just God and that believed that God was merely interested in philosopher Martin Buber’s categories of anger, pain, or disappointment that we have the partners. Therefore, God truly becomes Job’s righteousness does not stand a chance our subservience. This is the heart of God’s I and Thou, they made God into a simple with God, we talk of how God will redeem all humble in order to create the real possibility in the divine presence. Just confess that judgment upon Job’s friends. Job knew God, reflection of ourselves (I and I). Other tradi- things and how God’s ways are mysterious. of self-disclosure and a genuine covenantal you are wrong, Job! In God’s holy presence, while they misunderstood him. tions have erred by making God an object for That is the cost of not knowing that God is relationship of “equals.” The incarnation of who can stand? All we can do is repent and our management (I and it). But God must be a God that we can talk back to. God wants a God is that story, a pursuit of genuine cove- obey! They sound God-inspired; their words This idea of God’s people getting up in God’s Thou, a person who must be recognized as true covenantal partner and not just a com- nantal interaction. This relationship is at the could be set right next to the Psalms and we face isn’t new, nor should it even be consid- wholly other. pliant servant. heart of who God is. That is why God judges might not be able to even tell the difference. ered impious or disrespectful to God. God’s Job’s friends for misrepresenting who God is And yet Job defiantly protests that he knows people are called Israel, which is an odd Barth did not stop there. He realized that SERVE THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL and what God desires from us. what they know and he is not inferior to them name. In Genesis 32, God condescends to divine revelation does not allow us to ignore YOUR SOUL? (Job 13:2). wrestle with Jacob as he desperately pleads humanity at the expense of God either. Just A couple of years ago, a pastor friend of mine REPRESSION, PSEUDOCOMMUNITY, AND XENOPHOBIA for divine blessing before reuniting with as we cannot reduce God to an I or it, God does posted on his Facebook page that the most As I mentioned, spiritualities that follow the Ultimately, after all of Job’s anger towards Esau, the brother whom he swindled years not desire to do that to us. God seeks an au- important thing as a Christian is to obey no sanctimonious path of Job’s friends abound, God, the Lord shows up and rebukes him, ago. Strangely, God comes in a form unable thentic I and Thou relationship, a genuine cov- matter what. Obedience or submission—are presented as maturity and faithfulness. Nev- rendering him humbly silent. So the take- to overpower Jacob—so God cheats and dis- enantal interaction with us. Later on, Barth these the most important responses as Chris- ertheless, the critical factor in a genuine cove- home lesson is that our human wisdom is locates his hip. Then, God gives Jacob a new would begin to talk about the “humanity” of tians? Are these the only true offerings of re- nantal relationship is the possibility of protest

60 61 and lament, of talking back and taking up tribalism and willful ignorance of injustices, flippantly. However, when life makes no space in the relationship. When we are not all so often in the name of God, points again sense, it’s important to know that God is able to own and express our disappointment, to the problem of the self-delusion that Job’s bigger than our anger, disappointment, and frustration, and anger towards God, but friends preach. doubt. We can talk back to God in an au- instead repress them, a number of negative thentically I and Thou fashion. Though ini- consequences occur, including distance from AN ASIAN AMERICAN WITNESS tially confusing within my Asian American God. While he is speaking more generally, As an Asian American theologian, I often context, ultimately it is redemptive and Canadian theologian Douglas John Hall’s wonder what it means to listen to God in God-honoring to discover, paraphrasing insights about the impact of a society’s inabil- our place. What are the common errors (and Luther, that “the curses of God’s people can ity to acknowledge suffering serve as a guide rare wisdom) that can be found in the story of sound more pleasant in God's ears than their to the dynamics that occur on three levels: Asian America? I have found this truth about hallelujahs.”9 personal, communal, and social.7 the importance of talking back to God to be one of the most profound theological lessons ENDNOTES First, lack of lament towards God can result critical of my presumptions on God. Many 1. Whatever Barth’s limitations in other areas, evangelical in the inability to accept and articulate Asian Americans have a cultural heritage scholar Bernard Ramm notes that his contribution to personal suffering. Often, the repressed will of honor and respect for our elders. In some dismantling classic liberal theology must be acknowl- use spiritual language, praising God and wit- cases this heritage is a great treasure, while edged, especially given that fundamentalist and evangel- nessing to God’s healing, all the while hiding in others it creates a suffocating oppression. ical scholars of his time could not do so. See B. Ramm, the deep pain within. Just as Job’s friends Either way, the idea of expressing anger and The Evangelical Heritage: A Study in Historical Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2000), 111. believed, this repression is considered spiri- disappointment to God sounded shocking 2. Jürgen Moltmann discusses the error of affirming tual and pious as though it is what God wants. to me. Also, given all the pressures to be God at the expense of humanity in theism and a “model minority,” succeeding in a White having humanity at the expense of God in atheism, Second, not only do we fail to process our own normative world, Asian Americans can feel as opposed to a truly covenantal God revealed in suffering, but we will fail to enter into the suf- like they should be law-abiding overachiev- Christ. See J. Moltmann, The Crucified God (Min- neapolis: Fortress, 1993), 249–252. fering of others. A lack of genuine covenant- ers—not a very good context for lament or 3. K. Barth, The Humanity of God (Richmond, al interaction between us and God directly protest. Precisely for these reasons, when VA: John Knox), 46. impacts the kind of communal life that we the importance of talking back finally sunk 4. W. Brueggemann, The Psalms and have together. If I repress my own suffering in as truth, I realized what kind of a god God the Life of Faith (Minneapolis: with the spiritual language of repentance, is. Discovering that God, I changed. Fortress, 1995), 102. 5. Brueggemann, 103–104. trying harder, or “blessing the name of the 6. S. Kierkegaard, Philosophical Frag- Lord,” then that is precisely the advice that I We often think that the theological contri- ments/Johannes Climacus: Kierke- will give others as well. And when they fail butions of a particular context are limited gaard’s Writings, vol. 7 (Princeton: to do so, I will judge them like Job’s friends to those insights given to us by our cultures Princeton University Press, 1985), judge Job. If we believe that our faith is about or situations. However, this is a shallow un- 26–35. 7. D. J. Hall, God and Suffering: An serving God no matter what, without doubt, derstanding. Often the greatest theological Exercise in the Theology of the faith struggles, or anger and disappointment, contributions of our context come from the Cross (Minneapolis: Augsburg, then we must all present a false self to each struggle with our context. Because status, 1986), 43–46. other as we do to God. In such a world there relationship, and honor can matter so much 8. S. Kierkegaard, Practice in is no community, only a pseudocommunity in certain Asian American contexts, I have Christianity: Kierkegaard’s Writings, vol. 20 (Princeton: where we hide behind our pious masks. found this gospel according to Job to be my Princeton University, 1991), testimony as an Asian American theologian. 140. Third, according to Hall, this false self and We must realize “the infinite qualitative 9. The original quote attributed a misunderstanding of self-denial leads us difference” between God and us. Only then to Martin Luther, but made to search for an enemy whom we can blame does God’s monumental act of covenant popular by Dietrich Bonhoef- fer’s reference, is, “The curse for our troubles. Not being able to accurate- seeking begin to become amazing grace and 8 of the godless man can sound ly locate the source of the pain, we project good news. more pleasant in God’s ears outwards and identify the demon elsewhere. than the hallelujah of the It must be the wicked world that is at fault. The story of Job teaches us that doubt, protest, pious.” Those strangers, weirdos, immoral and and lament are all integral to biblical faith, ungodly, making our lives worse, are hinder- even when they seem counter to much of our ing me from truly obeying and serving God spiritual intuition or cultural narrative. At as God desires. Our present national context times, God invites us to “faithful” challenge of deep fractures and xenophobia, of zealous and dissent. Of course, we shouldn't do this

62 63 THEOLOGY

COMPOSING A LAMENT FOR THE PERSECUTED: SUFFERING WITH THE SUFFERING CHURCH

Edwin M. Willmington

Edwin M. (Ed) Willmington is the Blessed are those who are persecuted Scott White, the global outreach pastor at porting period, 3,066 Christians were request, “Please pray for us, and please don’t from slave and civil rights songs to music for director of the Fred Bock Institute of because of righteousness, for theirs is the Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena, became killed; 1,252 were abducted; 1,020 were forget us.” As the weight of my understanding worship. After losing his wife, gospel song- Music of the Brehm Center for kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10) a willing and knowledgeable resource, syn- raped or sexually harassed; and 793 grew heavy, I wondered what I could do as a writer Thomas Dorsey wrote “Precious Lord, Worship, Theology, and the Arts. In thesizing what I began to hear over and over churches were attacked.5 musician to raise awareness of the realities of Take My Hand,” which became one of the that capacity, he teaches courses have had a fulfilling life as a musician in my study and conversations. He pointed persecution, which were becoming knit into most performed pieces of music at personal related to music and worship, serves in various roles: worship leader, pastor, out that many people who live in persecution The highest price for faith is paid by those my own experience of faith. and national times of mourning. as mentor to students who lead the I composer, and professor. I have also been often feel a sense of God’s call to remain in who are martyred. While the statistical Fuller Seminary Chapel ministry, and aware of some of the realities of Christian their difficult circumstances, but they have “rate of martyrdom” might appear low at I wanted to somehow join the musical tra- After hearing that initial sermon about the developed a series of videos on persecution. However, the two realities rarely two messages they want other Christians to 0.01 percent, when based on a calculation of dition of lament that streamed from ancient persecuted church, I spent more than two worship leadership for the Fuller intersected until, during what was an other- hear: “Please pray for us, and please don’t forget 1.9 billion Christians worldwide, we come times to the present. In A Sacred Sorrow,9 years sitting with personal accounts of per- Leadership Platform. As Fuller’s wise normal worship service, my musical self us.” However, I knew that, for the most part, to the stark realization that this represents musician and author Michael Card filled an secution and studying musical elements tradi- Composer-in-Residence, he and my understanding of persecution began we really don’t pray for them often, and we 159,000 lives per year—159,000 daughters, entire book with reminders that Job wept, tionally used in lament. What developed was composed and conducted Reconciled a journey of convergence. In that service, do forget them. The realities of persecution sons, mothers, fathers, wives, husbands. In David wept, Jeremiah wept, and Jesus wept, the composition of a major work of music for in Christ, the music for the opening the pastor provided a short commentary on seem far away—usually observed as remote the 20th century, there were 26 million doc- then asked, why shouldn’t we weep as well? choir, soloists, and orchestra: Consolation for and closing ceremonies of the Third Christian persecution in the world. A couple news stories. Besides that, persecution is not umented cases of martyrdom.6 Christian Further, the fact that their weeping was the Suffering. Through it, I desired to raise Lausanne Congress on World Evange- of weeks later I was still pondering the issues a popular topic that naturally arises in day- martyrdom is not a thing of the past; it is a “sanctioned by inclusion in our Holy Scrip- awareness of the issues of Christian persecu- lization, held in Cape Town, South of persecution, realizing that I didn’t know to-day conversation, or even inside the walls modern issue that should capture our present tures” is “a continuing and reliable witness tion, but it also became my way of suffering Africa. He also developed the Five much about it, and wanted that to change. of our churches. attention. And yet martyrdom is a small part that weeping has an honored place in the life with those who suffer, weeping with those Solas Project, a series of resources to The discoveries I made changed my world of the bigger picture, the “sizzling tip of the of faith.”10 The biblical Psalms are a well- who weep. Composing it sometimes meant commemorate the 500th Anniversary view so significantly, they eventually led to It is difficult for a comfortable church in the iceberg that hides the dark bulk” of the story known musical repository of lament from sitting in silence, other times banging in of the Reformation. the composition of a major musical work. United States to imagine the magnitude of of the persecuted church.7 which Christians have drawn to express frustration on the piano; still other times it Christian persecution around the world or sadness over many centuries. From the cross, meant manically skipped meals, sleepless My research began in Fuller’s School of Inter- the risks and pain experienced by brothers Studying specific accounts of people who live Jesus chose to quote a portion of Psalm 22 in nights, early mornings, and plenty of tears. It cultural Studies. Former dean Scott Sunquist and sisters in Christ. Consider these facts: or have lived in areas of Christian persecution the greatest moment of sorrow history has was both a wonderful and cathartic process has written a book on Christian mission and helped me gain a deeper understanding of known: “My God, my God, why have you of creation, trying to express in music what suffering,1 and professors Evelyne Reisacher • 215 million Christians experience high their daily realities. Without question, though, forsaken me?” Weeping for grief, loss, pain, I was experiencing as I read, listened to, and and Mel Robeck shared a wide-reaching set of levels of persecution in the countries on I was most impacted by personal conversa- and injustice is a significant part of biblical absorbed the issues of Christian persecution. experiences and writings on topics pertaining the World Watch List. This represents 1 tions with the students and faculty at Fuller literature and Christian faith. to persecution.2 in 12 Christians worldwide.4 Seminary whose lives have been affected In Consolation, I provided space for Eun Ah, personally by persecution. Fuller’s School of Music has been a longstanding way of ex- Eric, and Lilian to tell parts of their stories. I connected with Open Doors USA (ODUSA)— • North Korea is ranked No. 1 for the Intercultural Studies professor Eun Ah Cho’s pressing lament. Classical composers such The musical responses allowed for lament- an outgrowth of the Cold War-era ministry 17th consecutive year as the most dan- grandfather was shot in his church in North as J. S. Bach, Purcell, and Monteverdi have ing reflection on their stories—a requiem, of of Brother Andrew—that ministers to people gerous country for Christians; however, Korea, after which the church was set on fire all utilized minor and modal tonalities, de- sorts, for the living. It became a wrenching around the world who live in situations of Afghanistan is now a very close second. as family and others watched. Students Eric scending bass lines, and the passacaglia form cry for mercy (Kyrie eleison), a plea for the Christian persecution. Through ODUSA, I Sarwar and Lilian Ateh have personally ex- (a form that usually has a low, repeated line Lamb of God to take away the sins of the came upon the writing of Fuller alumnus • India has experienced a dramatic perienced guns on their foreheads as their that etches deep into the ear of the listener) to world (Agnus Dei), a prayer for God to deliver Ronald Boyd-MacMillan, and it was his book, rise in persecution, moving from No. activities were questioned.8 I cried as I heard express lament. Classical composer Samuel us from evil (the Lord’s Prayer), and a petition Faith that Endures: The Essential Guide to the 15 in 2017 to No. 11 this year. Radical stories of kidnappings, burned churches, and Barber’s Adagio for Strings became one of the for the angels to welcome those who lost their Persecuted Church, that became a guide for Hinduism and Indian nationalism are threats of reprisal on family members. Yet most played forms of lament after the tragedy lives for their faith into their heavenly home me.3 The book included first-person accounts driving factors in the increasing levels I was amazed to discover that most of the of September 11, 2001. Some of these same (In paradisum). that helped define persecution, discussed of unrest and instability Christians students fully intend to return to their home forms have been accessed by popular com- ways we can assist those who are persecuted, face. countries to continue their ministries. posers such as George Harrison, Steven Tyler, Our Christian faith teaches us of a coming and offered lessons we can learn from the and Ray Charles. The African American tra- day of victory based on our hope in Christ. persecuted. • During the World Watch List 2018 re- I continued to hear voices echoing with the dition has a full repertoire of songs of lament, Astoundingly, many who suffer persecution

64 65 find hope through their suffering, and often Christ Jesus who died—more than that, Ronald Boyd-MacMillan, Faith that Endures: discover a strengthening of faith. In fact, per- who was raised to life—is at the right hand The Essential Guide to the Persecuted Church secution is not always viewed as a negative of God and is also interceding for us. Who by those who suffer, with many seeing it as shall separate us from the love of Christ? Paul Marshall, Lela Gilbert, and Nina Shea, a part of their call to follow the mission of Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or Persecuted: The Global Assault on Christians Christ. Tim Keller asserts that “suffering can famine or nakedness or sword? (Romans strengthen our relationship to God as nothing 8:31-35) Nik Ripken, The Insanity of God: A True Story else can.”11 This is supported by the fact that of Faith Resurrection high rates of persecution tend to coincide with There is also a strong, convincing answer for high rates of new conversions to Christianity. all the questions raised: ENDNOTES History has proven many times that outward 1. S. W. Sunquist, Understanding Christian Mission: Partic- persecution may be a positive catalyst for a No, in all these things we are more than ipation in Suffering and Glory (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker latent church. conquerors through him who loved us. For Academic, 2013). I am convinced that neither death nor life, 2. H. D. Hunter, C. M. Robeck Jr., eds., The Suffering There is an inherent tension in grasping for neither angels nor demons, neither the Body: Responding to the Persecution of Christians (Milton strands of hope in the face of immense suf- present nor the future, nor any powers, Keynes, UK: Paternoster Press, 2006). 3. R. Boyd-MacMillan, Faith that Endures: The Essential fering because of one’s faith, a tension that neither height nor depth, nor anything else Guide to the Persecuted Church (Lancaster, UK: Sover- finds its example in the cross of Jesus Christ. in all creation, will be able to separate us eign World Publishers, 2006). Yet the cries heard in the psalms of lament from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus 4. Open Doors USA publishes the World Watch List, which almost always have a final upturn of hope and our Lord. (Romans 8:37–39) offers updates about current statistics, conditions, and faithful affirmation. Further, Scott Sunquist trends related to Christian persecution. The World Watch List provides a map showing the areas of the world where reminds us that the mission of the church is At its conclusion, Consolation for the Suffering Christian persecution is rated from “High” to “Extreme.” to act as agents of hope, regardless of the con- provides a hymn that sends us into the reality The list provides information about the source of perse- dition in which we live. In Revelation 7, we of the persecuted and helps us to be people cution in each locale and also covers current major trends have a glimpse of the ultimate result of the who will not lose sight of their request: “Please in the area of world persecution. It is an ever-changing, church’s mission: a grand picture of all tribes pray for us; please don’t forget us.” dynamic list, and as of this writing the list highlights three growing edges of persecution in the world: the and tongues gathered, with no more tears or spread of radical Islam, the rise of religious nationalism, sadness, no suffering or persecution, and the God of justice, love and mercy, and the increasing intensity of persecution in Central Lamb of God as the sole focus of worship and With compassion, let us care; Asia. There is a special note that Azerbaijan has been adoration. What a great vision of hope! As we come in humble weakness, added to the list of places where high persecution is May your strength be ours to share. taking place. 5. See www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/. Knowing that hope is both present in suf- Press our hearts to know the struggle 6. J. D. Long, “More Martyrs Now than Then? Examining the fering and the conclusion to it, I wanted to Of the ones we cannot see; Real Situation of Martyrdom,” for John Mark Ministries, weave words of hope and expectation into Brothers, sisters, all who suffer, www.jmm.org.au (January 5, 2003). 12 Consolation for the Suffering. In his letter to May your kindness set them free. 7. Boyd-MacMillan, Faith that Endures, 22. the Romans, the Apostle Paul asks a series of 8. “Consolation for the Suffering: Stories from the Perse- cuted Church” on FULLER studio, fullerstudio.fuller.edu/ honest questions that are relevant to today’s ADDITIONAL RESOURCES consolation-for-the-suffering/. accounts of persecution. Listen to selections from Consolation for the 9. M. Card, A Sacred Sorrow: Reaching Out to God in Suffering, and watch testimonies from Fuller the Lost Language of Lament (Colorado Springs, CO: What, then, shall we say in response to community members on what it’s like living as NavPress, 2005). these things? If God is for us, who can be Christians under persecution at 10. E. Peterson, foreword to A Sacred Sorrow, II. 11. T. Keller, against us? He who did not spare his own fullerstudio.fuller.edu/consolation-for-the- Walking with God through Pain and Suffering (New York: Penguin Books, 2013), 191. Son, but gave him up for us all—how will suffering/. 12. E. M. Willmington, “God of Justice, Love, and Mercy,” in he not also, give us all things? Who will Consolation for the Suffering (Shepherd’s Staff Worship bring any charge against those whom God The Consolation for the Suffering audio Music, 2016). has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who, recording and DVD of the concert premiere are then, is the one who condemns? No one. available at jubalhouse.bandcamp.com/.

67 THEOLOGY

SUFFERING FROM WITHIN: SUFFERING WITH THOSE FOR WHOM SUFFERING IS A WAY OF LIFE

Sarah Ashley Hill

Sarah Ashley Hill (PsyD ’17) has a am a Black, Christian woman. I am a wife, truth on the impact of trauma (naming), resilience, power, and beauty. The realities of logical professionals are accessible should a feedback on how to proceed with addressing strong interest in serving the church, mother, advocate, and psychological assis- model health- and help-seeking behavior the suffering of many communities demand more complicated issue arise. the apparent trauma in our neighborhoods. particularly communities of color. A I tant. I am a daughter of the Black church (proclaiming), and actively work to foster a multipronged approach to healing, some- In the middle of that stakeholder meeting, a bilingual psychological assistant and a student of Western psychology. I have environments that are conducive to support thing which has often been embodied and In communities impacted by repeated community leader raised his hand and stated, fluent in Spanish, she has often often felt I was living in two worlds, and as and healing (embracing). Since my disserta- championed by local Black churches. For exposure to trauma and prevented from “You are asking what you can do in our com- translated for those who speak differ- the product of both, I now have the privilege tion studies and subsequent outreach have generations, Black people have turned to getting help due to stigma or lack of access, munities about trauma, but the people I work ent languages—and, more broadly, of translating between those worlds and focused on churches comprising primarily their pastors and local churches in times of what tools can we share to help in the work with wouldn’t call it trauma. They would just sees herself as a translator between serving as an advocate and ambassador ethnic minorities, especially urban Black need.4 Even now, long before a person comes of cultivating churches that promote holistic call it life.” the psychological and lay communi- from within. congregations and parachurch organiza- into my turquoise-tinted office, seeking help health, including mental health? We can ties, seeking to bridge the two. She is tions, I will frequently reference insights from a veritable stranger, they are more use the preexisting power of our words, our His statement mirrored similar experienc- passionate about empowering Chris- I am so grateful to have been educated in gleaned from these contexts.1 likely to first seek help from the men and leaders, and our church bodies to model es in my clinical work, I asked my clients, tians and churches to seek out re- spaces that lifted up the importance of in- women who have been loving and leading truth-telling (naming), help-seeking (pro- “Have you experienced trauma?” and they sources for their mental health. tercultural understanding and engagement. EQUIPPING TRAUMA SUPPORT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY them for years. claiming), and social support (embracing). responded with confusion in their eyes. But Clinically, she enjoys working with However, that discussion of engagement Research shows that exposure to at least In naming, proclaiming, and embracing, when I returned, after supervision, to ask underserved populations and she often came from a particular point of view. one traumatic event is fairly common. So why should we empower pastors and local churches can change the conversation about specific traumatic events, I often had currently works for a private practice The conversation seemed to identify the And those who are exposed to traumatic leaders to address mental health issues around the suffering that lurks, undiscussed, to pause to stretch my hands from writing in the Santa Clara Valley. Her first student as Western, White, and dominant, events do not always develop symptoms of instead of teaching them how to triage and in the corners of our communities. so much. ministry, however, is loving her and the ministry recipient as “ethnic,” darker, distress.2 However, with trauma there is refer? Because we must give the tools to the husband, Christopher Hill, and their and minority. Thus, the discussion centered a dose-response effect: The more trauma people who are already doing the work. Let NAMING: IDENTIFYING TRAUMA IN UNDERSTANDABLE “Have you ever seen somebody die?” two young children. on those who choose to enter into commu- one is exposed to, and the more personally me tell you a story. WAYS “ Yes.” nities of color, coming from without. As a violating the trauma, the more likely one Names are powerful—small words that carry “Have you ever been assaulted? daughter of the Black church, I am compelled will develop lasting symptoms of traumatic When I was newly married, I was alone in worlds of history. To call somebody by their “ Yes.” to give space to the voices of those who exist stress. Empirical evidence shows that ethnic our apartment when I thought I smelled gas name is to recognize them; it is to see them, “Have you ever seen someone you love badly and serve alongside and from within. minorities in urban areas are disproportion- and noticed the stove wasn’t working. I called acknowledge them, and call attention to hurt or killed?” ately exposed to community violence and the gas company and they came right away. them. Naming the pain in our lives can be “ Yes.” While some of our work may require its related stressors.3 It makes sense, then, The technician was kind and performed just as meaningful. There is power in identi- entering into spaces and times of suffer- that in communities where there are layers a thorough inspection of all the necessary fying something for what it is, in naming it. In my clinical and outreach work, I regu- ing, some of us have no separation between of trauma—systemic, generational, familial, equipment. It became quickly apparent that Even if what has happened is so common as larly have the privilege and pain of looking where we were raised, where we work, direct—we see the impact of prolonged and my pilot light was out. He told me that fixing to seem almost normal, trauma and suffer- someone in the eye after reviewing questions and where we live, so we serve and suffer repeated exposure to stress. Individuals are the pilot light is something he could teach me ing are not normal. The horrible things that like these and saying, “That is trauma.” It from within the walls of our own commu- exposed to suffering on multiple levels: in so I could then do it on my own. If something happen to us are not okay, even if we are okay. always comes as a revelation, a paradigm nity. And some, like myself, have the honor bodies weary from too many interactions more complicated occurs, I could call them And when we use the clarity of our words to shift of how they understand their world and of equipping and supporting those who with the autonomic physiological stress and they would use their expertise to fix it. see, acknowledge, and call attention to the the things that have happened to them. are already faithfully laboring in those response, in families seemingly compelled I cannot fix a gas leak nor do I need to; but traumatic nature of the suffering happening spaces. This article speaks to those who are to repeat generational patterns of hurting I can now fix a pilot light. So it is with the to us or around us, we require the trauma to Trauma and suffering wreak the most havoc embedded—physically, socially, and cultur- and being hurt, in minds convinced that education of our ministry leaders. They are show itself so we may deal with it head on. in the dark, when unseen and undiscussed, ally—in the same context of those they serve. the world is unsafe and unpredictable, and not therapists and do not need to be (though disguised in typicality and silenced by stigma. in communities inhibited from getting the they are often doing the work of therapists, In the Headington Research Lab, led by Our first steps are to name the trauma, to call In the following paragraphs, we will explore help they need. without the educational preparation or finan- Cynthia Eriksson, doctoral students carried a spade a spade and shine a light into the some of the steps ministry leaders can take cial compensation!). And not everybody and out the Urban Project, which focused on darkness. My dissertation research revealed when they serve in churches impacted by Yet, even in the midst of communities that every problem requires therapy. But we can ministry leaders and their experience with the importance of shifting perspectives about repeated exposure to ongoing, systemic, and are disproportionately burdened with do a better job of equipping our pastors with trauma. During the start of my own research trauma through language. First, in increas- complex trauma. Specifically, I will discuss trauma and have systemically underutilized the knowledge they need to fix the pilot lights as a student, the lab took preliminary ing awareness, we can begin to label and how communities can shine the light of health resources, we see obvious flourishing, around them and ensure they know psycho- research results to stakeholders to receive identify that which is traumatic. Breaking

68 69 stigma and challenging perspectives are the suffering out of their silence: they can use isn’t right, beautiful, lovely, or true in our church can use the human resources that distance, the family and townspeople (at 4. K. Hardy, “Which Way Did They Go? Uncovering the Pre- ferred Source of Help Seeking among African-American actions pastors can start to take almost im- their role and what they already do so well communities. As a result, programs en- exist in the church body to create a network the advice of the local psychiatrist) engage Christians,” Social Work & Christianity 41, no. 1 (2014): mediately, with education. Ministry leaders to shed light on the hidden pain of trauma. couraging physical health offered by Black of support. It is important to realize that in with both Lars and his doll as cherished 3–15. can use their pulpits, programs, and commu- churches have been more successful than many churches, these networks naturally members of the community. The people see 5. F. Streets, “Social Work and a Trauma-Informed Ministry 7 nity connections to bring awareness to what Recently, I was asked to speak at a conven- other community public health efforts. occur and already exist. Here, I specify how beyond his dysfunction and respond in love. and Pastoral Care: A Collaborative Agenda,” Social Work trauma is and what it might look like. tion of predominantly Black churches. When And now, the time is ripe for pastors to use we can help empower parishioners to help Furthermore, healing is able to occur when & Christianity 42 (2015): 470–487. 6. For general information and resources on trauma, see I asked the person who had invited me to their authority and platform to validate right where they are, diffusing the respon- his family sees and names his pain. Could the following websites: Centers for Disease Control and To be able to accurately name and reveal speak what kind of information would be the usefulness of accessing needed mental sibility and lessening the individual burden. we, as the body of Christ, do that? Could Prevention, “Violence Prevention” page, www.cdc.gov/ the sources of suffering, leaders first need most helpful, the pastor responded, “I want health services. Ministry leaders can do this we embrace the suffering—even if they are violenceprevention/; the National Child Traumatic Stress to obtain the necessary information them- you to tell them that it’s okay for Black people through explicit exhortations to their con- When I gave birth to both of my children, weird, disturbing, ugly, or angry? Could we Network, www.nctsn.org; the National Center for PTSD, selves. This requires the psychoeducational to go to therapy.” I pushed back, asking what gregations to go seek out help if they need many members of the church responded in respond with restorative love that shines www.ptsd.va.gov. 7. C. Y. K. Lumpkins et al., “Promoting Healthy Behavior support of psychological professionals; if you other topics might be helpful, but the pastor it, or through sharing stories of health- and supportive ways. Some of the support was light on pain and removes the need for from the Pulpit: Clergy Share Their Perspectives on Ef- are a therapist reading this, perhaps you are was insistent. The most important message help-seeking. Story is a powerful communi- systematic (a gift card from the church, given delusion? Can we even have eyes to see them, fective Health Communication in the African American 5 called to this supporting role. Obtaining the I could communicate that day cation tool and has long been employed by to all new parents), but most of the support perhaps sitting quietly, almost invisibly, on Church,” Journal of Religion and Health 52, no. 4 ability to recognize and identify trauma for was that it is okay for Black pastors to connect biblical truths with our was a little help from individual members. the fringes of society? (January 2011): 1093–1107, doi:10.1007/s10943-011- what it is can be revolutionary not only for people, even those with a modern lives. Pastors can use their own Someone brought me food after my 26-hour 9533-1. our suffering communities, but also for the robust faith, to seek out stories or the stories of loved ones labor left me unable to walk and my husband Our people are suffering, and they have need- pastors who are suffering alongside them. therapy. So that’s what that demonstrate a rec- knocked out from exhaustion. Another lessly suffered for too long in silence. We can Several easily digestible resources for basic I did. Afterward, many ognition of a problem, person came to sit with me at home when empower those working in the trenches with information on trauma exist online.6 people approached me seeking out profes- my husband returned to work, and actually the information they need to identify the discussing a secret experi- sional help, and put food in my mouth while I bounced a fussy sources of suffering. We can shatter stigma PROCLAIMING: GIVING PERMISSION TO GET HELP ence with therapy, a sense getting that help. baby on an exercise ball. When families have as we proclaim our right and responsibility As we work in our churches to reveal the they might need therapy, babies or when somebody dies, our commu- to seek out our mental health, by a variety truth of suffering and normalize talking or appreciation for finally EMBRACING: MEETING nities rally to provide support. Everybody of means, including therapy and medica- about it, a recognition of pain and trauma- hearing a discussion of THE SUFFERING WITH provides a little help, and the family is able to tion. We can empower ourselves as the local tization necessitates a response. Given the God and mental health in PRACTICAL SUPPORT survive through a tough transition. I wonder church body to see and support each other pattern of underutilizing services, those who the church. My message was Lastly, in an effort to what it would look like if we responded to in very practical ways. We can be the hands are suffering from serious, complex mental trusted and accepted because create a church culture those in mental health crises with the same and feet of Jesus to those who are suffering. health issues may not readily respond by I was first validated and of being trauma-informed practical support. What if we brought meals seeking out the help they need. For those invited by the pastor, whom and help-seeking, we can mobilize to those in a major depressive episode and ENDNOTES who may need professional services like the congregation had our church bodies to ensure we unable to get out of bed? What if we drove 1. This article is a response to information thoroughly therapy or medication, our next step in sup- trusted for many are providing support in the people to therapy or picked up their medica- explored and developed in my dissertation. Specific ref- porting the suffering is to normalize help- years. most helpful ways. In the first tions? What if we used our intimate knowl- erences are detailed and can be found in that manuscript. and health-seeking behaviors. If you have two sections, I highlighted what edge of each other’s lives to encourage one Some additional specific references are listed here in the sat under any preaching, you know what From the pulpit, ministry leaders can do to begin another to get the help we need? endnotes as examples. See S. A. Hill, “The Role of the it means for someone to proclaim. Local Black pastors to help the suffering by naming Local Church in Addressing Trauma in African-American Communities: An Examination of Relevant Empirical Lit- pastors, at the helms of strategic and essen- proclaim the freeing the truth about trauma and pro- There is a movie I like very much because erature” (PsyD diss., Fuller Theological Seminary, 2017). tial ships in our communities, are skilled power of God’s truth. claiming the right to get help. it provides the compassionate response to 2. L. Amaya-Jackson et al., “Functional Impairment and at proclaiming the truth from their pulpits. For decades, they have I recognize that pastors are suffering that I hope for the church: Lars and Utilization of Services Associated with Posttraumatic Encouragement, rebuke, discernment, reve- also led the way in often so overburdened the Real Girl. In it, a young man named Lars, Stress in the Community,” Journal of Traumatic Stress 12, lation: every Sunday, their words fall on the changing that which with wearing multiple who we learn has experienced silent suffer- no. 4 (1999): 709–24, doi:10.1023/a:1024781504756. 3. R. G. Davis et al. “Treatment Barriers for Low-Income, thirsty ground of the congregation. hats that they may ing, invents a relationship with a life-sized Urban African Americans with Undiagnosed Posttraumat- This is the very reason that pastors have nothing left to doll. His family is understandably disturbed. ic Stress Disorder,” Journal of Traumatic Stress 21, no. 2 are the prime candidates to boldly call give. But a healthy But instead of responding with disgust or (2008): 218–22, doi:10.1002/jts.20313.

70 71

DISCOVERY

“There were some who believed the clergy needed to be there to bring God to the Ferguson uprising, but I met Black Jesus at Ferguson. VOICES ON I met the dark-skinned Jewish carpenter who was birthed by a Race and Inclusion teenage, unmarried woman in the hood. And I was reintroduced to this Jesus who was constantly bringing disruptive fire to the systems and powers, using the prophetic truths of Scripture, acts of “People have always resisted whiteness from healing, and deep commitments to the poor and the marginalized. the very beginning. People have always I found anew the dark body who was unfairly arrested, convicted resisted the loss of a life in place, resisted by a kangaroo court, sentenced to die, and then executed by the being designated racially, resisted their lives empire of his day. This Jesus, the prophet, the healer, the liberator, being commodified, resisted being forced the organizer, the exorcist of both individuals and systems, was to live inside of a global system of exchange, already hanging out in Ferguson when we showed up. So it wasn’t death, and money, and resisted as long as they like we was bringing Jesus, it was more like Jesus was waiting for could the relentless systems of education and us to get there. And it was this Jesus who I heard declare, ‘Everyone evaluation that supported these things. And who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ This Jesus invited they did it by drawing on the only tool they had me to follow him.” available: their identities.” + Michael McBride, lead pastor of The Way Christian Center and national + Willie Jennings, Fuller trustee, and associate director of Urban Strategies and LIVE FREE, on the Black church and resisting professor of systematic theology and Africana structures of white supremacy, at the 2018 Black Public Theology Symposium studies at Yale Divinity School, speaking at the 2017 Missiology Lectures on “whiteness” as a “Toda la teología es contextual, y nuestra comprensión de nuestro sociocultural framework llamado estará marcada, ¡inevitablemente!, por nuestra historia, nuestro hogar, nuestra gente, nuestra cultura. Y eso es parte de la “I tell a lot of Asian American students that, maravilla y belleza de ser el cuerpo global de Cristo, donde algunos even though your family might have come in de los puntos ciegos de una persona pueden ser detectados por otra the last ten years, you become a part of a larger persona porque tenemos ojos para verlos.” group of people. Your history goes back 150 years in America because you become a part of “All theology is contextual, and our understanding of our calling this larger Asian American experience. It’s the will be, inevitably, marked by our history, our home, our people, our whole Asian American racial experience. The culture. And that is part of the wonder and beauty of being the global fact that different ethnic groups come together body of Christ, where some of a person’s blind spots can be detected and form the Asian American identity. I know by another person because we have eyes to see them.” so many Asian Americans who are relatively recent immigrants that weren’t there in the + Ruth Padilla DeBorst, vice-rectora académica, Comunidad de Estudios ’40s, who don’t really think about Japanese Teológicos Interdisciplinarios, speaking at the 2018 Centro Latino Lectures on Internment as their story. They feel like, ‘that transcending divisive walls happened a long time ago, it doesn’t really matter,’ without realizing the fact that the past “How can we say that we know ourselves without understanding our is always with us. It’s not something that is just context? To say that being a Christian and being Asian have nothing in the past—it actually has an impact now and to do with one another goes against how we have been created in you can see the impact around you as well. I our own particular histories. You can’t escape the fact that race has am a part of this Asian American experience been so central to our formation as a country. I think it is deeply that is actually 150 years long. It’s not just my theological. It’s historical. It’s sociological. It’s cultural—it’s all these family history. I’m part of this bigger story.” things. It’s the water that we swim in.”

+ Daniel D. Lee, assistant provost for the Center for + David K. Yoo, professor of Asian American Studies at UCLA, on race and Asian American Theology and Ministry and assistant politics, in his talk at the Public Discipleship event hosted by Fuller’s Center for professor of theology and Asian American ministry, Asian American Theology and Ministry reflecting on a trip with members of the Fuller community to the Japanese internment camp in “The ability to see is connected to the ability to love. If you don’t Manzanar, California; pictured is a reconstruction of a see me, you can’t love me. If I seem to you to be something close to guard tower that loomed over the camp Chinese, even though I am Korean-American, and you only have categories for Chinese and cannot see who I am—you can’t love me + This content is curated from ongoing conversations either.” taking place throughout the Fuller community. Visit this Voice section on Fuller.edu/Studio for links to + Daniel Lee, assistant provost for the Center for Asian American Theology and full videos, articles, and more. Ministry and assistant professor of theology and Asian American ministry, on the often neglected Asian American experience, in his address at the 2017 Missiology Lectures 75 EXCLUSION

“There is something with owning the deep partic- ularities. Owning the deep particularities does not do us a disservice but actually serves a greater good. “Cinco siglos de una historia cargada de cierto colonial- When I own a deep particularity, that’s a testing of ismo y colonialidad, de proyectos de modernización, truth against particularities. But it also requires de proyectos occidentalizadores que nos tienen hoy this openness to humility. I am constantly being en cierto nivel de vida donde se nos llama algunas challenged because I am very particular in my veces a los países de Latinoamérica países en vías de existence. I don’t live every existence, but other people desarrollo o países del tercer mundo. Entonces, esa challenge me then—‘Are you going to make space for separación, esa jerarquía nos llevan a nosotros a exper- me, too? Is your ethic and your framework going to imentar la vida desde un lugar muy particular. Unos le make room for my life, too, and my thriving?’” llaman el margen, otros le llaman la periferia, otros le llaman la pobreza. Yo estoy pensando de un término + Lisa Thompson (pictured right), assistant professor of diferente, un término que le llamamos transocciden- homiletics at Union Theological Seminary, on the power and talidad, que es el aceptar que somos occidentales por role of proclamation, in her address at the 2018 Black Public un lado, pero que somos no occidentales por el otro y Theology Symposium en ese encuentro somos más que todo eso. Yo creo que “Salvation and whiteness. These terms point to a el teologar así nos hace a nosotros repensar, repensar history that we yet live within. Whiteness as a way para vivir de nuevo con formas diferentes. El repensar of being in the world has been parasitically joined to no sólo significa revisar los procesos históricos que a Christianity that is also a way of being in the world. nos han dado a nosotros identidad, que nos han dado It was the fusion of these two realities that gave tragic a nosotros una condición social. Sino que el repensar shape to Christianity in the new world at the dawn implica también el recrear.” of what we now call the modern colonialist era, or as scholars like to call it, colonial modernity. “Five centuries of a history loaded with coloniality, modernization projects, and Occidentalism have It is precisely this fusing together of Christianity left Latin American countries today at a certain with whiteness that constitutes the ground of many standard of living typically referred to with the of our struggles today. The struggle against aggressive labels of developing or ‘third-world’ countries. So, nationalism is the struggle against the fusion of Chris- that separation, that hierarchy leads us to experience tianity and whiteness. The struggle against racism life from a particular place. Some call it the margin, and white supremacy, and some aspects of sexism others call it the periphery, and others call it poverty. and patriarchy are the struggle against this fusion. I am thinking about a different term, a term that I The struggle against the exploitation of the planet is call ‘trans-Occidentalism,’ which alludes to the fact bound up in the struggle against this joining. So many that on the one hand we are Westerners, but on the people today see these problems of planetary exploita- other hand, we are non-Westerners, and both at the tion, of racism, of sexism, of nationalism and so forth, same time. In such a collaging encounter, we are more but they do not see the deeper problem of this fusion. than any one of these two. I believe that doing theology Which means they have not yet grasped the energy out of this paradox makes us rethink—rethink to live that drives many of our problems.” again in different ways. To rethink does not only mean to review the historical processes that have given us + Willie Jennings, Fuller trustee, and associate professor of identity and a description of our social condition, but systematic theology and Africana studies at Yale Divinity it also implies to recreate.” School, on uncoupling the Christian faith and “whiteness,” in his lecture at the 2017 Missiology Lectures + Oscar García-Johnson, assistant provost for the Center for the Study of Hispanic Church and Community, and associate “The kneel-ins during the Civil Rights Movement professor of theology and Latino/a Studies, on FULLER studio failed because even if you could get Black bodies inside a segregated white church, you could not force “Theologically speaking, whiteness will not be the church’s white members to treat those Blacks overcome through uncritical reassertions of tradition like Christians. Nor could you do anything to make but in learning to accept by grace a marginal seat at so openly racist congregations a desirable place for Christ’s table. It is only in the decentering of whiteness Blacks or anyone committed to interracial fellowship that white particularities will be included in the body to want to worship there.” of Christ in a redemptive manner.”

+ Valerie Cooper, associate professor of religion and society and + Andrew Draper, assistant professor of theology at Taylor Black church studies at Duke Divinity School, speaking about University and senior pastor of Urban Light Community segregation in the American evangelical church at the 2018 Church, on vulnerability and repentance, in his talk at the Black Public Theology Symposium 2017 Missiology Lectures

76 INCLUSION

“One of the questions we are entertaining is ‘decentering whiteness.’ I have a little challenge with that because when you say decentering whiteness, whiteness is still the target. We “My father and I were driving in his Toyota four-wheel need to do more than that. Reconfiguration is what is needed. drive up a mountain on bumpy, dirt roads, and we’d Voices that have not been included not only need to be heard, go into this small little hut. I was 10 years old, and my but inform the redesign, implementation, and leadership. We English was not as good as I’m speaking right now, but need to engage in a conversation in a safe enough way that it he sat me down and says, ‘You’re going to sit down next creates spaces for all voices to be heard. Not only with the goal to this nice US American doctor who has come to help of understanding, but with a commitment to change. To have us, and you speak English. So you’re going to translate those voices inform the reconfiguration. We need to create for him. We’re giving out medicine and medical help.’ new spaces that we develop together, where no perspective or cultural value is privileged over another. Where no one He said, ‘If you don’t understand something he says, position is considered superior to the other.” here’s a dictionary. Look it up. I’m going to come back and pick you up at the end of the day.’ Imagine a + Alexis Abernethy, associate provost for faculty inclusion and equity and 10-year-old just sitting there. And it started nurturing professor of psychology, in her lecture on “Navigating (White Evangelical) this love, this empathy, this compassion that comes from Academia” at the Forum for Theological Exploration the gut towards others. “If you do a study of new cultures being birthed, it’s always in If you don’t know the narrative for a young girl in mixed zones of influence. I call it a cultural estuary, where Nicaragua, for a man to empower a woman, he was freshwater and saltwater come together to create the most amplifying my voice in ways that now I’m starting to beautiful, diverse ecosystem. Interdependence flows right understand. He was amplifying my voice and saying, out of the gospel. It recognized the fissure and limitation of ‘You have something to contribute.’ I see that Jesus did Babel and the potential of Pentecost at the same time. You have “I imagine that one way of working toward inclusivity follows the same thing. He amplified the voices in the margins. to frame this carefully. Because if you go over too far in the this flow: discovering our particularities, being honest about direction of unity, this kind of uniformity, you lose everything. how our distinctions became boundaries that exclude some Have you ever asked the question, why does Jesus ask If you go too far in the direction of separate, distinct identities, and empower others, and then repenting by creating spaces of the blind man, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ or just insisting on the boundaries, not creating porousness belonging. We don’t repent of the distinctions, the particulars That’s a question that has annoyed me from Jesus. I between cultures, you lose something. You can’t create new themselves. Those are good things, beautiful things. Our unique want to say, ‘Well, Jesus, he is blind. He wants to see. from either place.” histories need to be told, our cultures expressed and celebrated. He wants to be healed, and he wants to see.’ But Jesus We repent from giving those particulars the power to decide says, ‘What do you want me to do for you? Do you want + Makoto Fujimura, director of Fuller’s Culture Care Initiative, speaking who matters and who does not, who deserves dignity and who me to make you well?’ on trauma and restoration at the 2018 Missiology Lectures can go without, who is heard and who should be silent. We repent toward a new way of being, a new space that is meant That question shows that he doesn’t assume that he "The song that you would write is going to be very different for belonging. A space where these distinctions don’t go away— knows what they want. He invites the voices in the from the song I would write. And I need to hear your laments, they are recognized and embraced—but they are denied the margins into a conversation; he invites them into col- and I need to hear your praises. I need to hear what you’re power to form hierarchies and foster practices of exclusion. laboration, and he invites them to take part in their mourning, and I need to hear what you are celebrating. And own liberation. My father did that often by disrupting we need to exchange that with one another, not so that we can I think Paul was imagining a space of belonging when he said, the conversation and placing the odd person right in the celebrate diversity for diversity’s sake, but so it can give us the ‘there is neither Jew nor Gentile.’ But the process isn’t neat; middle of that conversation. He did it often.” tools we need to live in this perilous context.” for Paul, creating a space of belonging looked like writing frequently about the practice of circumcision, questioning its + Inés Velásquez-McBryde, MDiv student, from FULLER studio’s + David M. Bailey, founder and executive director of Arrabon, on the power to exclude Gentiles from God’s people. At Fuller, it has Story Table on “Seeking Justice” church’s role in reconciliation, in his lecture at the 2019 Brehm looked like a protest, conversations about syllabi, discussion Conference groups, new administrative positions, and a strategic plan. I "I’m many things: I’m a woman of color. I’m a foreigner. don’t expect any institution, Fuller or otherwise, to suddenly I have an accent. I’m Colombian by birth. I am a “Music and the arts help negotiate, construct, express the arrive at inclusivity. But there is a commitment to the process. naturalized US citizen. I’m a psychologist working in a shifting in multiple identities that all of us actually have and Recently, we launched Fuller.edu/Inclusion, to illustrate marriage and family department at Fuller Theological express. And they negotiate tradition and innovation, and it’s this process—the strategies and efforts that aim toward Seminary. I’m a Christian. I’m a mother. And I mention good. They are able to choose the best elements from the local greater inclusivity at Fuller. Reading about inclusion plans these because I love the concept of perichoresis—the and non-local, the old and the new, fuse the sounds and create a and strategies may feel as odd as reading about circumcision relationships between people interpenetrate. Pause new hybrid sound. How exciting can that be! This is the sound practices, but both are deeply theological. Both are grounded on for a minute to think about that. When I have all these that I feel the church of Southeast Asia needs to hear. One that the conviction that God is forming a people who belong together. multiple identities and I bring it and I allow you to take affirms their local, national identity and also their Christian The whole process—discovering particularities, naming it from me, I expand your world thousands of times. You belonging.” exclusion, and imagining inclusive spaces—is the work of those expand my world in ways that are incredible.” who partner with God to cultivate that belonging.” + Sooi Ling Tan, adjunct assistant professor at Fuller Seminary and + Lisseth Rojas-Flores, associate professor of marriage and family adjunct lecturer at Malaysia Baptist Theological Seminary, speaking Aaron Dorsey (MAT ’18), Communications Inclusion Liaison at Fuller therapy, on culture and privilege, in her address at the 2017 at the 2018 Missiology Lectures about the cultural power of the + Theological Seminary + Alexis Abernethy, Missiology Lectures performing arts p. 79 79 “Vocation involves looking at how our membership in the body of Christ infiltrates all that we do, both in the church and outside the church. So, identifying first and foremost as someone who is part of the larger family, but also someone who’s uniquely positioned in that family because of demographic characteristics— age, gender, sex, or race. But it could also be giftedness, and thinking, I’m part of this larger body, I have my unique viewpoint, now how am I supposed to live out that unique gifting and viewpoint in every aspect of my life?”

+ Christena Cleveland, associate professor of the practice of organizational studies at Duke Divinity School, on the importance of mutual relationships, in her lecture at the 2015 FULLER Forum “It’s young people that I’m passionate about, it’s young people that I pray for, it’s young people that I weep over. VOICES ON My passion for the last 20 years has been related to Vocation young people, first as a youth pastor, and now working with the team at the Fuller Youth Institute. What we are trying to do here is turn research into resources. + This content is curated from ongoing conversations As a parent, as a leader, so many times I feel like I’m taking place throughout the Fuller community. Visit this Voice section on Fuller.edu/Studio for links to guessing. I’m just hoping for the best with the young full videos, articles, and more. people in my family, or in our church. And at this point, my vocational calling is to take the amazing research that Fuller and others are doing, whether that’s theological research or more empirical, social science behavioral research, and turn it into practical tools so that parents, grandparents, leaders—anyone who cares about young people—we don’t have to guess so much. We have better answers.”

+ Kara Powell, executive director of Fuller Youth Institute, on her passion and call to work with young people, on FULLER studio

“I think of my vocation in terms of what do I do in my daily living, to both make a living, but also, what’s my role in the body of Christ? I think that part of what I do is turn up the heat in situations. I don’t like conflict, but I don’t shy away from it. And I’ll often push into things—I’m created that way. That’s part of how I articulate what I’m doing as a professor. In my discipline of ethics, I’m trying to take things that often have become rather dull, and turning up the heat in a person’s life to say, how do you think about that in a way that is not just about a rule but is about a God who is actively involved in the world? Part of my growth as a Christian and as a woman of faith and as an academic is knowing how to do that in ways that aren’t about me. I’m not really the fire. I’m attending to that. I’m attending to the crucible that is the church or is the world in which God is active. Yes, I’m stoking the fire, but I’m not actually the one who’s doing the work.”

+ Erin Dufault-Hunter, assistant professor of Christian ethics, on her desire to reinvigorate the ethical imagination of the church, on FULLER studio 81 “En este momento de mi caminar cristiano yo entiendo mi llamado a la misión divina como la de ser un “Saying yes to the angel Gabriel was a risky response. Mary’s puente. Tengo el privilegio de ayudar a pending marriage would have been in jeopardy if Joseph gente conectar con su llamado divino decided her tale of the angel’s announcement was only a a través de la educación teológica y el cover-up for infidelity. Her legal status would have been in apoyo pastoral. Como puente también jeopardy if accused of adultery. Her economic status would me toca conectar a gente con oportuni- have also been in jeopardy, since first-century Jewish women dades, conectar a personas de diferentes were dependent on the finances of either their parents or culturas, etnicidades e idiomas los unos their husbands. I imagine that Mary’s emotional stress was con los otros y conectar a personas y incredibly high, because apart from the logistical impossibility organizaciones con visiones comunes of pregnancy without consummation, there was also the fact para que puedan servir a Dios y a otros that infant mortality was common in that time. Not to mention en maneras nuevas y creativas.” that her life would have been at risk, as dying in childbirth was “What drew me to seminary was not what drove me in seminary. a real possibility. Mary’s yes to the angel was a sacrificial yes. It The precocious child of a pastor, I tried to preach at a young age, “At this moment of my Christian journey was a yes despite her own needs. It was a yes despite what made copying what was heard in church and fitting into the expec- I understand my call to God’s mission sense. It was a yes for the sake of others. tations of the influencers at home, in high school, and later, in as that of being a bridge. I have the the philosophy and religion department of my college. I went to privilege of helping people connect with As women, we encounter elements of sacrifice when it comes to seminary as a preacher’s son who was continuing along a path their divine calling through theological our vocational lives. A yes to work can mean a sacrifice of time that key witnesses to my childhood and adolescence expected education and pastoral support. As a with our children. A yes to staying at home with children can me to walk. Calling was wrapped in my community’s expecta- bridge, I also need to connect people with mean a sacrifice of vocational development. A yes to balancing tions of who I should become. opportunities, connect people of different both vocation and family may be a sacrifice of self-care. Work cultures, ethnicities, and languages with and life balance can feel like an ongoing choice for many women, What drove me in seminary was different. I entered seminary each other and connect people and orga- but we are not left alone in these decisions. Whatever the task without knowing what to do with the budding awareness, begun nizations with common visions so that before us, whatever the next season God calls us to, we are in college, that things were not right with the world and that I they can serve God and others in new affirmed in our identity in Jesus Christ and assured that the should get involved in changing what was wrong. Attending and creative ways.” Lord is with us. God’s invitation to us is accompanied with a Martin Luther King’s funeral in 1968 pushed me to consider the reminder that we too are highly favored and that, like Mary, the disparities between rich and poor, blacks and whites, the lot of + Juan Martínez, professor of Hispanic studies Lord is also with us.” the marginalized, and the terrible toll of the Vietnam War. How and pastoral leadership, on FULLER studio should I fit this wine into the wineskins of ministry I brought + Joyce Del Rosario, SIS PhD student, from her essay on Mary as a risk- from home? A desire to integrate a commitment to the fight for taker in She Is…: Biblical Reflections on Vocation produced by Fuller’s justice with my understanding of ministry and a yearning to De Pree Center understand my own psyche required differentiation from my inherited images of ministry and made for a restless journey “Listening to the stories of assault survivors is a holy thing. It’s through seminary and graduate school. gritty work, but this is what Christ did: emptying himself to hold our pain on the Cross for the sake of redeeming us—and Clinical psychology gave me a window into my own psyche this has become the model through which I understand our and developed specific skills I needed to help troubled people. Christian calling. It’s in this sacred work of emptying myself Working for justice and showing God’s mercy were the twin to hold another’s pain that I’ve been able not only to help restore streams that fed my inner sense of calling. Understanding of a sense of personhood to others, but to come into more of who the inner life and transforming pain and conflict into self-ac- God has made me.” ceptance and harmonious relationships felt consistent with my gifts and my sense of what I was called to do. + Ellen Hong (MDiv ’03), in FULLER magazine issue #11 How then must I label this hybrid, misshapen career? Is there “I always wanted to be a soldier, and in a way, I think I’ll be one coherence in the disparate activities of shaping the minds and until I’m dead. When I came to Fuller, I wrote down all my sins sensibilities of psychology students, relieving the suffering along with my propensities—things that maybe weren’t ‘wrong’ of troubled people, and creating a culture of compassion and but that could get in the way of serving God—and one propensity critique in a school of psychology while occasionally preaching was ‘being a soldier.’ I wrote them all down on a piece of paper in a little church in northwest Pasadena? My desire is that and then burned it up, as a way of giving it all over to God. I’m my work and that of our graduates show God’s unending and not sure a lot changed, except one important thing: God gave me unmerited mercy to broken people. It is my hope and prayer that more love, even for those I’m sometimes called to fight. I have a I will have strength to work for justice and share God’s mercy love for my enemies in Iraq, Syria, Burma. That didn’t happen through my remaining days.” out of will power. It happened out of surrender to Jesus.” + Winston Gooden, dean emeritus and Evelyn and Frank Freed Professor + David Eubank (MDiv ’95), in FULLER magazine issue #11 Emeritus of Psychotherapy and Spirituality, in FULLER magazine issue #1

82 “If you’ve grown up in the church, you are probably familiar with one specific definition of vocation. Vocation is often defined as the thing that you are supposed to do with your life. It is often considered one particular path that is meant to be your career, your job, or your primary identifier for your life. It is also something that God has planned out for you. Your goal is to simply search for it and find it. Or, in some cases, you wait for God to tell you what your vocation is or reveal what it is going to be.

We have a different definition of vocation.

Christian vocation is responding to God’s call faithfully in the places and communities in which God has placed you. Vocation is not as much about doing a particular thing as it is being in communication with God through the Holy Spirit to meet the world’s deep needs through your particular skills and talents. Vocation is not about + In Spring 2019, the Fuller Leadership Platform launched its first digital ‘finding’ a particular thing to do, but being formed by God learning experience, FULLER Formation, providing guided formation to meet the needs of God’s kingdom.” for learners who do not seek a traditional seminary degree. A second digital learning experience, FULLER Equip, will be available later this + This quote is taken from the introduction to FULLER Formation's year and will focus on leadership and professional development. “Reframing Vocation” lesson. FULLER Formation is an online tool to foster faith formation with guided material created and curated by Fuller’s faculty and centers for innovation. For more information, go to Fuller.edu/Formation.

“Before you start looking for some new idea, for some other place you should go, tell me about what you’re seeing of God in front of you now. Do you understand how to recognize God’s revelation of God’s self in every sphere of your life? Tell me about when you notice the Spirit moving in a staff meeting, tell me about when you notice glory in a better-written memo.

For design prototypes, from a spiritual point of view, we have language for this already. ‘Test the spirits.’ You take this counsel you’ve received, and you put it out there a little bit. In my case, you go have a bunch of cups of coffee with people and say, ‘What do you think?’ ‘Come and see,’ Jesus would say. That’s a prototype. So let’s go out there and get in the boat and give it a try and see what happens, and if God confirms, we can keep going, and if not, then we can step back a little bit. Prototyping is the raw material that you’re supposed to bring to the potluck party with the Holy Spirit. You’ve got to give God something to work with.”

+ Dave Evans, adjunct lecturer in the Product Design Program at Stanford University, a management consultant, and cofounder of Electronic Arts, in FULLER Formation's “Reframing Vocation”

85 VOICE

VOICES ON Embodied Learning in a Digital World

We heard from Fuller voices reflecting on online community in Issue #10. This time, four faculty members share why they value the unique experience of in-person education at Fuller. BLOWING Some years ago Fuller created a voice of their classmate; they see it written rather ugly space for preaching on her face. The preacher swallows hard, + This content is curated from ongoing conversations taking place throughout the Fuller community. THINGS UP that bore the odd name, the awkward silence descends, and I must let it Visit this Voice section on Fuller.edu/Studio for links to full videos, articles, and more. IN THE LAB “Preaching Lab.” linger, for something important is happening in the shared silence. There is a heightened Labs are spaces where bold experiments awareness that preaching can wound even CREATING We’ve been so busy explaining attended a traditional seminary can attest can happen safely. Students gamely strap as it intends to heal, and a firm resolve to do the new things we’re doing, like that much of their formation took place on goggles and gloves, then dive in and try less of that wounding. A FAITHFUL preparing to move our campus, outside of formal classes—sitting around things. One dares to let a psalm of lament COMMUNITY or launching more online degree a lunch table, or bumping into each other stand as a cry unanswered, a sermon left By contrast, in my online courses, students programs, that we may have on the quad. Gathering around a seminar untied, with no tidy bow. One shares a story reply in written comment boxes over several forgotten to emphasize how strongly we table is another special, formative aspect of a ragged, bitter marriage season that days, and preachers are not required to reply still believe in the core of Fuller—the one of in-person education. This is not only at felt like living in the valley of dry bones, to their feedback, so we never really hear where students and faculty come to a main the doctoral level at Fuller; a fair number of surprising herself with its rawness still. whether any given critique landed, or simply campus and participate in a transformative upper-level courses are small enough that “Pardon my tears,” she says, and as she ends, glanced off with negligible impact. We never theological education. And eat street tacos you finish a quarter feeling a bit like family. she’s met with hugs and prayers. We lack get to hug or pass Kleenex or spontaneously together. Maybe the day will come when videocon- Bunsen burners, but this lab has sparked pray after class in the hallway. While real ferencing will allow you to convey things laughter, tears, and even transformation. care can be expressed online, I do love the I love words more than the average person. I effectively with a nod or a glance—but we’re This unadorned space so often becomes holy visceral expression of it that happens in our write fast and joyfully, and my life is more or not very close yet. Nor can I imagine an ground, and to be present in those moments “lab.” less a constant stream of messages to various online seminar adjourning to the local pub is magical. people over various platforms. But I would after a colloquium. And the lab experiments astound me! This never suggest that words alone can create My role is to cultivate past quarter in a preaching practicum that deep, transformative relationships. It has been said that a large, introducto- a gracious learning emphasized creativity, students sprinkled ry survey course is a case where online community that makes sermons with liturgical dance, rap, and an Online education is not a fad. It is needed; it education is every bit the equal of in-person risk-taking safe. I strive African American traditional Love Feast. is here to stay, and Fuller should be excellent education. It’s certainly true that sometimes to model that elusive I encouraged them to integrate personal at it. But online education is the extension of students can “disappear” and even tune out Pauline cocktail of testimony, and many students said they a core—core resources, a core faculty, and in a lecture. Crafting a large lecture course truth infused with love only offered their art or their harder stories a core community of learners who make is an art form—in the right hands, the in my own feedback late in the quarter, after trust had been built Fuller what it is. lectern is a dramatic stage. As a student, I to students. Because by our shared time together. We needed to experienced many stirring lectures, after seminarians tend to be log time together in the lab before we dared Why do I love our community of real people which we spilled out of the room buzzing kind, I am often pushing to combine the chemicals in ways that in real spaces? about what had happened. I try to create them to add more truth to catalyzed these surprising new substances. those same moments, and I have students the love in their feedback to It is an immense honor to open the doors of A theological school is about formation, tell me that they’re happening. each other. When a student the Preaching Lab, hand out the goggles, and not just education, and hears in real time that his or see what the Spirit will do when students anyone In-person education is a creation of a faithful her illustration inadvertent- are let loose with the Living Word. who has community. For a seminary like Fuller, that ly excluded listeners of one certainly means faith in God; but it also gender or socioeconomic level, + Lisa Washington Lamb, visiting assistant means faith in a communal mission. Like a I often see them visibly blush. professor of preaching lot of the works of faith, this mission is costly, They hear real pain in the but at least it comes with tacos, and the flash in your colleague’s eye when they laugh.

+ Christopher B. Hays, D. Wilson Moore Associate Professor of Near Eastern Studies

86 87 constrain the presence of God’s shekinah that And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Look! The they run into trouble. In the Exodus accounts, residence of God is among human beings. He will live among God tabernacles with Israel in the wilderness, them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with demonstrating God’s loving faithfulness through them. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death residence that is always (perhaps necessarily) on will not exist any more—or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the the move (Exod 13:21). Yet the temple, originally former things have ceased to exist.” (Revelation 21:3–4) conceived and constructed as a way of celebrating God’s incomparable glory, eventually became AN God is a God who resides with us. As symbolic of Israel’s misguided attempts to contain, IMMERSIVE There are certainly benefits Second, an in-person program of study Revelation 21 suggests, the ultimate control, and domesticate an otherwise wild and to online programs that allow has long been the traditional format since “IN-PERSON” end to which the whole of the created unmanageable God. Put differently, Israel’s LEARNING learners the convenience of one of its primary advantages—that of GOD order is moving is one in which God mistake was to reduce God’s distributed presence structuring their studies around family, inserting learners in an embodied way into takes up residence with humanity to a permanent residence. work, or other commitments. In this a community of inquiry—remains unrepli- in geophysical space. In the Greek, the word is case, then, study and learning is an added cable in the online platform. True, we now skenosei—a close analogue to the Hebrew shekinah, As a theologian who teaches more theology dimension of activity, arranged around realize that online education generates its or the “glory of Yahweh,” who journeys with Israel classes online than in person, I also find it in- the other nonnegotiables. There is no own digital community, and it is also increas- as they wander in the wilderness. Beyond a mere conceivable to imagine a Fuller Seminary that minimizing the sacrifices learners have to ingly the case that many learner-oriented happenstance, this vision of God fully residing is not leading the way in distributed learning. make to even carve out the time for such events held by educational institutions are with creation is in fact a concrete expression of Delivering high-caliber seminary education to an endeavor: time away from rest, or from streamed live so that more of the activities the very same project God initiated by speaking pastors, therapists, and ministry leaders in their family, and in some instances, even from of educational institutions are accessible to light into existence (Gen 1:3) and brought to a local contexts has been a core part of Fuller’s work. Generally speaking, however, note remote learners. From a content delivery culmination when the “Word was made flesh and DNA from the very start. Rather than require that such time is “carved out” from the perspective, the gap between traditional dwelt [i.e., skenosei] among us” (John 1:14). In other students to engage in an intellectual endeavor existing schedule; in short, attending online in-person and digitally mediated learning is words, God just is residential. disconnected from the particular communities means attempting to insert theological almost closed. to which God had called them, Fuller created study into already crowded lives, in- Who God is and how God is present and active in regional campuses where students could access tensifying, rather than thoroughly On the other hand, after events, online the world matters, and this is nowhere the case theological education without having to uproot rearranging, our busyness. learners log off and return to their regular more than when it comes to how themselves from their ministry context. I am a routines. Geophysically present learners, we conceive of, structure, and proud alumnus of the Colorado regional campus, Moving to a seminary or attending however, could opt to follow up more deliver theological education. where I earned my MAT while serving teenagers geophysical seminary classes, personally with speakers or panelists, Given who God is, it is in- and young adults in Colorado Springs. however, requires reorganizing or choose to interact further with other conceivable to imagine one’s life to be present in spaces attendees, even over a meal. Major a Fuller Seminary I now serve in a role in which I am teaching and times preestablished quite communities of inquiry, certainly here at without some kind of theology to pastors, missionaries, and industry apart from one’s own preferences. Fuller, schedule multiple lectures, symposia, residential learning. leaders throughout North America and all around This is especially the case if one colloquia, and other scholarly activities In the absence the globe. From my physical office in Pasadena, I has to also move their home: during the course of the term. Those who are of a geophysical am able to connect to a “moving” to seminary involves geophysically present enter into and build re- residence, Fuller diverse and diffuse resocialization and rehabitu- lationships with others—faculty, staff, other would be like a network of ation of our lives in a radical learners, and guests of the institution—in voice without a human manner—meaning, from the ways not possible for online learners. body. ground up. Such shakeup inevitably Traditionalists have always highlighted invites new schedules and rhythms, the immersive character of the historic allowing in some respects a more seminary experience, which effectively That focused approach to theological study, baptizes learners into the multidirectional being said, even though God is one more conducive to the kind of conversations through which the life of the a God who resides with a people renewing of the mind that can only mind is lived out across the institutional who gather together in physical happen through an intentional environment. In sum, content delivered in time and space, that residing is beings otherwise known as approach to cultivating classes are enriched, extended, even inter- neither fixed nor unmoving. Quite the the body of Christ. Yet, even and reembodying such rogated in the prolonged discussions carried opposite. It’s a kind of divine residence that is when we don’t share the same virtues. out by participants present live and in person dynamic and highly adaptable, oriented towards residence or inhabit the same geophysical space, across the seminary context. God’s being present with God’s people in the midst the Spirit still gathers with us because that’s of their concrete, on-the-ground experiences, simply who God is—the same God who pitched + Amos Yong, professor of theology and mission which almost always involve movement a tent with Israel in the wilderness and took on and dispersion. In fact, if Israel’s history flesh in the Incarnation and will one day take up is any indication, it isn’t until the residence with us. people of God attempt to isolate and + Kutter Callaway, assistant professor of theology and culture

88 89 Fuller's Program Options Online Programs Available fully online I’ve led an eight-week workshop on composition Online learning is something that students have and grammar every quarter for two years, and actually been asking for, for years. This is not just ·Master of Divinity when I taught an online version for the first time Fuller deciding to try something new or trying to this summer, I had more online students complete experiment with a new modality. In-Person Programs ·MA in Theology the curriculum and be more interactive in this one Available fully on-campus ·MA in Theology and Ministry ·MA in Intercultural Studies workshop than in the previous two years combined. This is a new era of students. Our current students ·Certicates Students were emailing me, they were getting in are taking it a little bit slower; they’re saying, ‘I want ·Master of Divinity touch with each other, they were more responsive to make sure that I can still take care of my family ·MA in Theology and open to optional assignments—all because and engage in life and ministry, but I want to do ·MA in Theology and Ministry of the online forums. They felt comfortable being this Fuller thing, as well—I want to grow, I want ·MA in Intercultural Studies vulnerable and making mistakes because they saw to get my degree, I want to advance the kingdom, ·PhD in Theology each other’s work, and they had more time and and I can do both if I do it online.’ I like to joke that ·PhD in Intercultural Studies space to contemplate their words. they are at home taking their online courses in ·ThM in Theology their pajamas, but that’s only because they’ve spent + Rachel Paprocki, managing editor of the Fuller Writing ·ThM in Intercultural Studies a full day working, a full day serving in ministry, a Center, originally quoted in “Voices on Online Community” full day taking care of their families and providing, ·MS in Marriage and Family Therapy Hybrid Programs in Issue #10 ·PhD in Clinical Psychology then only at 11 o’clock at night when everything is Most coursework completed online, with one- to two-week all put away and everything is quiet, they can finally ·Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology on-campus intensives each year About 15 years ago, Fuller was one of sit down and engage with their classes. So, yeah, ·Certicates A CAMPUS the first to join the whole online conver- they’re sitting in their pajamas, but only after being ·MA in Global Leadership SCHOOL WITH sation and moving students toward this some of the most productive and powerful movers in ·Doctor of Missiology AN ONLINE new type of learning. Our MA in Global their own communities and workplaces. ·Doctor of Ministry Leadership (MAGL) faculty did a great COMPONENT job of carving the way to make sure One concern that we often come across is the idea that formation was always protected. The faculty that Fuller is becoming a ‘solely online school.’ were intentional with their students and how they Online is a phenomenal modality and many designed their courses, and they’ve made it what students really enjoy that, but there are also students Gutenberg’s printing press made it possible should have oppor- A NEW ERA it is today. Since then, a majority of our master’s who really enjoy learning in the classroom. Fuller to mass produce the written word for the first tunities to measure programs now offer an online option. And with is still going to be a campus school, now with an time in history. Literacy became attainable for themselves against FOR HIGHER that early foundation we had with the MAGL, the online component as well. So the idea that students common people, not just the wealthy and elite. those objectives on a EDUCATION faculty have carried that intentionality into these will be able to take either side, take courses on the The parallels are significant: the introduction regular basis. Learners new courses as well. ground or on the web at any point in their degree, is of the printing press and digital technology should have opportunities to apply their learning something that we hold at a high value and that we were watershed moments in history. It could be to real-world problems and see how their theories The thing that we have strived for at Fuller is to always want to protect. argued that the personal computer and smart match the practical application. Nothing about make sure that the faculty and student interaction devices have had a greater impact on human these principles changes whether you’re in a is always preserved. Unlike other online schools, + Tommy Lister, executive director of the Office of Teaching life than the printing press. Both technologies classroom or learning on a computer. where the courses are built for them—they’re and Learning have changed the way we access and canned, they’re automated, and the faculty are consume information, and both have Fuller is committed to hybrid education, taking often removed—Fuller has gone the made knowledge more readily accessible the best of both in-person and online education exact opposite direction in that to people around the world. and putting them together. Online education process. The thing that allows Fuller to make our instruction more makes us distinct is Learning should be interactive and accessible. Rather than asking people to come that our faculty are engaging, as opposed to passive. to us, which can be expensive and logistically the ones hand- Learning is inherently social, difficult for many of our learners, we can go to designing whether that refers to the them. And by sending our research and resources their courses instructor-learner re- into the world, we also open up communication to fo r e a c h lationship or peer learn from others in other contexts. In our effort term so that relationships to form global leaders for kingdom vocations, students among learners. online education gives us the opportunity to can grow Instructors reach those who could never reach Fuller, and and thrive. should have learn from those who we would otherwise never clear objectives, interact with. and learners + Jeff DeSurra, director of digital learning, Fuller Leadership Platform 90 91 FULLER MAGAZINE | FULLER.EDU/STUDIO ISSUE #14

Explore FULLER studio’s media offerings

Conversing podcast President Mark Labberton hosts this podcast, speaking with a broad spectrum of leaders on issues at the intersection of theology and culture—from public radio host Krista Tippett discussing wisdom to Yale Divinity theologian Willie Jennings reflecting on race. Photo: David Brooks, columnist for The New York Times, discusses social transformation and the power of commitment in forming communities

FULLER curated THREE DISTINCT This podcast gathers the best conversations happening at Fuller Seminary—drawing from lecture series, conferences, panel discussions, special events, and more––and reflects the eclectic, rich quality of Fuller’s intellectual and spiritual life. CHANNELS FOR Photo: A panel discussion at the Black Public Theology Symposium, held at Fuller in Fall 2018. Hear some of the sessions from the symposium on FULLER curated. DELIVERING HIGH- Fuller Theological Seminary FULLER studio From an exclusive conversation with Bono and Eugene Peterson to stimulating CALIBER CHRISTIAN roundtable discussions with Fuller faculty and community members, FULLER studio produces, curates, and offers a wealth of video, audio, and written resources—free— for all who seek deeply formed spiritual lives. SCHOLARSHIP Photo: Makoto Fujimura, director of Fuller’s Culture Care Initiative, speaks on a “Theology of Making,” and how the arts and imagination play an integral part in Before founding Fuller Theological Seminary in 1947, the Christian life. Charles E. Fuller was reaching millions of people through his Old Fashioned Revival Hour radio show, which was broadcast Find these resources and more at Fuller.edu/Studio over 650 radio stations. Starting Fuller Seminary was his way of extending the reach of the gospel message by training All podcast episodes are available on iTunes, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. evangelists and missionaries to be sent out across the globe. Today, Fuller still prioritizes its global reach, finding innovative ways to deliver content from world-renowned faculty to as many people as possible.

Fuller’s original offering of residential theological education has expanded over the decades through the establishment of regional campuses and online degree programs. Three years Fuller Leadership Platform ago, FULLER studio began creating original, free resources for anyone seeking a deeply formed spiritual life. In Spring 2019, the Fuller Leadership Platform launched its first digital learning experience, FULLER Formation, providing guided formation based on content from Fuller’s faculty and centers for innovation for learners who do not need or want a traditional seminary degree. A second digital learning experience, FULLER Equip, will be available later this year and will focus on leadership and professional development. Introducing FULLER Formation As the landscape of higher education shifts under our feet, Fuller is finding new ways to realize its vision offorming Fuller Seminary is pleased to introduce a new learning experience, global leaders for kingdom vocations. Now individuals across the world can discover the free online resources of FULLER Formation. FULLER Formation is designed to foster Christian FULLER studio, access formation learning experiences and formation in everyday contexts. Learn how to integrate your faith professional development through the Fuller Leadership and work, discern God’s calling in your life, and develop formative Platform, and attend Fuller Seminary for rigorous theological practices as a Christian leader. degree programs.

LEARN MORE AT FULLER.EDU/FORMATION FULLER studio

92 93 FULLER MAGAZINE | FULLER.EDU/STUDIO LET THE + The Fuller community grieves the loss and celebrates the life of our dear colleague Evelyne Reisacher, who passed away on March 30, 2019, after a long battle with cancer. For years, Evelyne served as associate professor of Islamic studies BUILDINGS SPEAK and intercultural relations in the School of Intercultural Studies, while also working as a leading global missionary to the Muslim As we prepare for the move to Pomona, we’ve invited all Fuller alumni to share some of their fondest world. We give thanks for her life as a joyful witness to the love of Christ. She is dearly missed. memories from the seven decades we’ve spent in the buildings that make up the Pasadena campus. See more reflections and photos, and share your own stories, at Fuller.edu/Building. RECENT FACULTY BOOKS

The Aesthetics of Atheism Christian Theology in the Pluralistic World: A Global Introduction Kutter Callaway and Barry Taylor (Fortress, 2019) Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen (Eerdmans, 2019)

It was February 2002. I was stretched thin for cash, as is Old Testament Ethics Growing With: Every Parent’s Guide to Helping Teenagers and Young Adults Thrive in When I had my first tour of Fuller’s Pasadena campus as the common denominator for all theology students, I think, John Goldingay (InterVarsity Press, 2019) Their Family, Faith, and Future a prospective student, our guide walked us by the Prayer Kara Powell and Steven Argue (Baker Books, 2019) and needed to bite the bullet and call home for some funds Garden. She pointed at its cement walls covered in ivy Luke as Narrative Theologian: Texts and Topics to cover my registration fees. I went into Payton to use the and said that many students find the growing, dying, and Joel B. Green (Mohr Siebeck, 2019) Systemically Treating Autism: A Clinician’s Guide for Empowering Families phone booth to call my dad. I loved those plush phone booths, returning of the ivy to be an apt metaphor for the changing Brie Turns, Julie Ramisch, and Jason Whiting (Routledge, 2019) because they were vintage and felt like a nod to past decades. seasons in their academic careers at Fuller. Deathless Hopes: Reinventions of Afterlife and Eschatological Beliefs Plus, that day I really needed the privacy of a closed door to edited by Christopher B. Hays and Alexander Massmann (Altes Testament und Moderne, 2019) Misión en el camino: Reflexiones sobre la teología de la misión Charles E. Van Engen (Wipf & Stock, 2019) have this pathetic little talk with my dad. We had the usual Over the next three years as a residential MDiv student, Deep Focus: Film and Theology in Dialogue “so what is this money for” conversation and, as per usual, her comments rang true. I can remember walking through Robert K. Johnston, Craig Detweiler, and Kutter Callaway (Baker Academic, 2019) The Kerygmatic Spirit: Apostolic Preaching in the 21st Century he came through with the funding. I thanked him, told him, campus from our apartment on North Oakland Ave., Amos Yong (Cascade Books, 2018) “Te quiero,” and rather than say “Ciao,” like we normally coming and going from classes, and passing the Prayer would, I very randomly said, “Adios.” I didn’t know then Garden, seeing the ivy dry and brown as fall became winter RECENT FACULTY ARTICLES AND BOOK CHAPTERS that that would be the last conversation I had with my (such as it was in Pasadena), and feeling resonance with father. He died suddenly a day later of an aneurysm. In JUSTIN L. BARRETT, “What Do We Think about God When We Aren’t Careful?” in The & Stock, 2019). LISA LAMB, “Enabling Diverse Learners to Thrive in the Online Homiletics my spirit as I was struggling with new and challenging Cognitive Science of Religion: A Methodological Introduction to Key Empirical Studies, ed. Classroom,” Teaching Theology & Religion 22, no. 2 (2019). CECIL M. ROBECK JR., “Can saying, “Adios,” I had both said goodbye and commended learning. I can also remember walking by with a bounce in D. J. Slone and W. W. McCorkle (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019). JEFFREY P. BJORCK, with We Imagine an Ecumenical Future Together? A Pentecostal Perspective,” Gregorianum: him to God—I just didn’t know that last bit. This has my step from the exhilaration of renewed faith and seeing G. S. Kim, D. A. Cunha, and R. W. Braese, “Assessing Religious Support in Adolescence: 100 (2019), 49–69; “Pentecostals and Charismatics in North America,” in The Oxford become a tender memory, a final time of me being in need the ivy surrounding the Prayer Garden a lush and vibrant Validation of the Multi-Faith Religious Support Scale-Adolescent (MFRSS-A),” Psychology History of Protestant Dissenting Groups, vol. 4, The Twentieth Century: Traditions in a and him coming to my rescue, as he had a million times green. of Religion and Spirituality 11, no. 1 (2019): 22–31. WARREN S. BROWN, with L. K. Global Context, ed. J. Hanciles (Oxford University Press, 2019). WILBERT R. SHENK, “Alan before, from when he adopted me at 3 months old until that Paul, “The Neuropsychological Syndrome of Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum,” Journal of Kreider and Kwame Bediako: Context and Conversion,” Mennonite Quarterly Review 93, day at 29 years old. I’ll always cherish the Fuller Pasadena the International Neuropsychological Society 25, no. 3 (2019): 324–330. OLIVER CRISP, no. 2 (April 2019): 43–60. SIANG-YANG TAN, “Beyond Resilience, Posttraumatic Growth, Perhaps the most memorable and evocative image is “On the Vicarious Humanity of Christ,” International Journal of Systematic Theology 21 and Self-Care: A Biblical Perspective on Suffering and Christian Spiritual Formation,” in campus and the many memories that I made there, but entering into the Prayer Garden’s sacred space, through ivy- (2019); “Against Mereological Panentheism,” European Journal for Philosophy of Religion Psychology and Spiritual Formation in Dialogue: Moral and Spiritual Change in Christian Payton Hall’s row of vintage phone booths, that common draped doorways, in both dry and vibrant seasons, sitting (2019); “Is Jesus God Incarnate?” in Logos Questions (Logos Institute, 2019). CARLY Perspective, ed. T. Crisp, S. L. Porter, and G. Ten Elshof (IVP Academic, 2019). KENNETH space turned sacred by what God did there, will always hold on the cool concrete and watching the light play through the L. CROUCH, "Forced Migration, Political Power and the Book of Jeremiah,” Political T. WANG, with A. Morales, “The Relationship between Language Brokering, Parent-Child an extra special place in my heart. stained glass cross, and listening to God in the silence, or Theology 19, no. 6 (2018): 457–536. CHRISTOPHER B. HAYS, "Making Peace with Me: Bonding, and Mental Health Correlates among Latinx College Students,” Journal of filling the space with harmony as I participated in one of the The Josianic Origins of Isaiah 24–27," Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology 73, no. Mental Health Counseling 40, no. 4 (2018): 316–327. AMOS YONG, “Missional Renewal: —Andrea Cammarota (’02) 2 (2019): 143–147. VELI-MATTI KÄRKKÄINEN, “Necessity, Chance, and Indeterminism: Pentecostal Perspectives to and from the Ends of the Earth,” Quadrum: Journal of the many Taizé services we held in that space. It reminded me A Theological Account of Freedom of Will in a ‘Regulated’ World,” in God’s Providence Foursquare Scholars Fellowship 1, no. 2 (2018): 133–56; “Many Tongues, Many Discursive to turn toward God, who was always near and faithful to me and Randomness in Nature: Scientific and Theological Perspectives, ed. R. J. Russell and Practices: Whose Systematics, Which Global Christianities?”, Plērōma: studii şi cercetări in every season. J. M. Moritz (Templeton Press, 2019); “Legitimate Diversity or Heretical Deviation: ‘Local teologice (Serie nouă) 20, no. 1 (2018): 35–42; “Pentecostal Ecclesiologies,” in The Churches’ and the Challenges of the Globalized Pluralistic World,” in Local and Global Oxford Handbook of Ecclesiology, ed. P. Avis, (Oxford University Press, 2018); “Diasporic —Luke Hyder (MDiv ’06) Development in Chinese Christianity, ed. C. Kuo, Y. Tsai, and F. Chou (Center for the Study Discipleship from West Asia through Southeast Asia and Beyond: A Dialogue with 1 of Chinese Religions of the National Chengchi University, 2019); “Christian Church among Peter,” Asia Journal of Theology 32, no. 2 (October 2018): 3–21; “The Missio Spiritus Religions: Toward a Hospitable Missionary Encounter with the Other,” in Wrestling with in a Pluralistic World: A Pentecost Approach to Dialogue, Hospitality, and Sanctuary,” God in Context: Revisiting the Theology and Social Vision of Shoki Coe, ed. M. P. Joseph, P. Pittsburgh Theological Journal 9 (Autumn 2018): 11–48. H. Huang, V. Hsu (Fortress, 2019). SEYOON KIM, “Paul and Violence,” in Ex Auditu (Wipf

94 FULLER MAGAZINE | FULLER.EDU/STUDIO ISSUE #14 | SUFFERING WITH

Extending Fuller’s Legacy and Impact

By God’s grace, Fuller’s impact has been extensive and immeasurable, as hearts and minds around the globe have been changed through the courageous and steadfast leadership and work of our alumni community. Now, as Fuller reimagines the seminary experience, the Office of Development is changing too. We’re launching a fresh approach to fundraising—one that is critical in helping to sustain the seminary for generations to come. You’ve told us time and again how much Fuller means to you. Your admiration has been unwavering, yet many of you have felt disconnected. We’ve heard your concerns and have been working diligently to ensure you feel more involved in what’s happening in the Fuller community. As part of our vital work going forward, we’ve reorganized our team to best serve our giving partners. We’ve unveiled a revamped website, with more information and easier navigation. And we’ve started the Fuller Leadership Circle as a way of encouraging and recognizing our most loyal donors. In the coming months, we’ll be doing even more. We’ll connect with every unit throughout the seminary, as well as with external partners including alumni, community members, and ministries around the world. We’ll also hold special events in key cities across the United States for alumni and donors to engage them more deeply with Fuller on many levels. Our work is integral to carrying out Fuller’s vision, and you play a key role. We’re excited about this next season in the life of the seminary. We hope you are too, and that you’ll join us on this journey. With God’s guiding hand, we, together, can extend Fuller’s 70-year legacy with even greater impact. LEARN MORE To learn more about Development and our fundraising program, visit Fuller.edu/Giving or call Sandy Shrader, Executive Director of fuller.edu / 800.2Fuller Development, at (480) 478-5125.

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BENEDICTION: Acts that Speak the Good Word @fullerseminary

The platform of the Chinatown Metro Station offers an expansive view of Los Angeles. City Hall and Union Station tower above surrounding buildings. The Financial District’s skyscrapers stand farther back. Mary Glenn, a law enforcement chaplain who also teaches in the School of Intercultural Studies, points out buildings that others might not be quick to see, like the Men’s Central Jail. The faculty accompanying her are Chris Blumhofer, Erin Dufault-Hunter, Susan Maros, Mike McNichols, Johnny Ramírez-Johnson, Dave Who Is Fuller? ¿Quién es Fuller? 풀러 신학교란? Scott, and Alison Wong—members of the faculty Formation Groups that meet regularly over the course of the year. With the skyline in the foreground, Mary frames the day ahead, an urban retreat into LA. The cohort usually retreats to the nearby Mater Dolorosa or Descanso Gardens, places Fuller Seminary is an evangelical, multi- Fuller Seminary es una institución evangélica y 풀러 신학교는 복음주의에 기반을 둔 of stillness and natural beauty. Today’s outing is different. “We’re here,” Mary explains, “to engage with what integrated peace looks like in the city.” For the faculty gathered, denominational graduate institution committed multiconfesional que se compromete a formar líderes 초교파 대학원으로서 하나님 나라를 listening to the stories the city has to tell is the first step. to forming global leaders for kingdom vocations. globales para las vocaciones del Reino. Respondiendo 위해 부름 받은 지도자 형성에 전념하고 The group begins at Homeboy Industries, an organization that supports formerly gang-involved and previously incarcerated women and men. The next stop is the Cathedral of Responding to changes in the church and world, a los cambios en la iglesia y en el mundo, Fuller está 있습니다. 교회와 세상 속 변화에 Our Lady of the Angels, where Father Alexei Smith describes the church’s desire to be a gathering place for people of different religions. At the foot of the county’s Hall of Justice, Fuller is transforming the seminary experience transformando la experiencia del seminario tanto para 반응하며 풀러는 캠퍼스 내 재학생과 they hear from Sgt. Jenelle Meier about law enforcement in LA. for both traditional students and those beyond los estudiantes tradicionales como para los que están 온라인 학생들의 신학 교육 경험에 변화를 The group listens intently as each voice adds contours to the urban landscape around them. In response, they pray. At each location, they pause to recite the words: “Jesus, the classroom: providing theological formation más allá del aula: proporcionando formación teológica 가져오고 있습니다. 예수님을 따르는 together we seek your peace in this place.” that helps Christ followers serve as faithful, cou- que ayude a los seguidores de Cristo a servir como 자들이 성실, 용기, 혁신, 협력, 그리고 rageous, innovative, collaborative, and fruitful fieles, valientes, innovadores, líderes colaborativos y 열매의 삶으로 섬길 수 있도록 돕는 “God has already been doing amazing things here,” Dave Scott says in reflection. Yet for all the good that’s made up the city’s narrative, it has its sins, too. Mary identifies the spot leaders in all of life, in any setting. fructíferos en toda la vida, en cualquier entorno. 신학적 형성에 힘쓰고 있습니다. across the street from the district attorney’s office where indentured servants were once sold. Walking through Little Tokyo, one can’t escape the memory of internment during World War II. And injustice is a present reality as well. As they pass federal buildings, Mary points to the immigration prison that looms close behind. Los Angeles, she says, has Fuller offers 15 master’s and advanced degree Fuller ofrece 15 programas de maestría y de grado 풀러는 신학, 심리학, 선교학과의 - trained itself to become a city that forgets. Erin Dufault-Hunter laments, “How much forgetting has made LA a very unjust and unkind city?” programs—with Spanish, Korean, and online avanzado—con opciones en español, coreano y en 스페인어, 한국어, 온라인 옵션 선택 Erin, the only LA native of the group, stands by Chris Blumhofer, a recent arrival from the East Coast. Yet each faculty member present recognizes that they have a part to play options—through its Schools of Theology, Psy- línea—a través de sus escuelas de Teología, Psicología 가능한- 15개의 석사 및 박사 학위 in the city’s life and peace. Looking around at the new architecture sprouting around older buildings, Johnny Ramírez-Johnson notes the city’s ongoing transformation. “It breaks chology, and Intercultural Studies, as well as y Estudios Interculturales, así como formas ricas y 과정을 통해 교회를 위한 풍부하고도 the old way of thinking,” he says. “A new and unpredictable path.” rich and varied forms of support for the broader variadas de apoyo para la iglesia más amplia. Cerca de 다양한 지원을 제공하고 있습니다. 80 Their day ends in the plaza marking the Azusa Street Revival, a time in the city’s history that saw a great movement of the church through the Spirit. Circling up, they breathe out church. Nearly 3,500 students from 80 coun- 3.500 estudiantes de 80 países y 110 denominaciones 국가, 110교파에서 온 약 3,500명의 their prayer once more: “Jesus, together we seek your peace in this place.” tries and 110 denominations enroll in Fuller’s se inscriben en los programas de estudios de Fuller 학생들이 매년 풀러에 등록하며44,000 degree programs annually, and our 44,000 anualmente, y nuestros 44.000 ex-alumnos sirven 명의 졸업생들이 전 세계에 흩어져 목사, + By Jerome Blanco (MDiv ’16), communications writer for FULLER studio. In the image, Erin Dufault-Hunter, assistant professor of Christian ethics, and Chris alumni serve as ministers, counselors, teachers, como ministros, consejeros, maestros, artistas, líderes 상담사, 교사, 예술가, 비영리 지도자, Blumhofer, visiting assistant professor of New Testament, take in the Communion of Saints tapestries lining the sanctuary of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the artists, nonprofit leaders, businesspersons, and en organizaciones sin fines de lucro, empresarios, y en 사업가, 그리고 다양한 일터의 현장에서 Angels. The tapestries depict saints, both canonized and not, across history and from all over the world. The saints face the altar, behind which is a stylized map of in a variety of other vocations around the world. una variedad de otras vocaciones alrededor del mundo. 일하고 있습니다. downtown LA, reflecting the church’s outward mission to the city.

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+ Doxology I: Holy Grail by Dao Zi. Wash-ink painting. 55"x28", 2017. See more of Dao Zi’s work on pp. 2–3 and 11. 99 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID 135 North Oakland Avenue PERMIT NO. 132 LIBERTY, MO Pasadena, California 91182

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+ During his first quarter as a Fuller student, Rick Reynolds (p.18) started passing out pizzas to Seattle’s homeless as a volunteer with a group called Operation Nightwatch. After more than three decades with the organization, he's learned a lot about recognizing the image of God in the poor. “They're all created in the image of God, and that's the thing: I want people to look, and not just look past.”